Audiobook Review: Don't Twunk With My Heart (Loving You #2) by Renae Kaye

Kee Smith isn’t sure who he is anymore. He knows who he used to be—the ignored gay son who chose a blue-collar job just because no one expected it, the submissive bottom who enjoyed large, masculine jocks who put him in his place, the sleek, fashionable twink who partied all night. But after his ex-boyfriend hit Kee and called him names, Kee retired from the social scene.

Back after a year’s hiatus, Kee still doesn’t know where he fits. His friends say he’s a twunk—a twink who put on muscle and turned into a hunk—but Kee is searching for somewhere to belong. Instead of going back to his usual type, Kee hooks up with twink Tate Stevens—a fashion-industry professional who works the image hard. It proves to be the best decision he’s ever made, and not just because he’s starting to regain his sexual confidence.

With Tate, Kee can open up about his fears and confusion without ridicule. Tate has his own fears about putting on weight and getting old. It will take work to make a relationship of opposites succeed, but they begin to realize the compromises will be worth it if they can be together.

Listening Length: 5 hours and 52 minutes
Narrator: Joel Leslie

Reviewer: Annika


I'm a huge fan of the first book in this series (Loving Jay), so when I had the chance to listen and review the second book I jumped right in, and had a blast.

We follow Kee, one of Jamie’s friends. He's been kind of hibernating at home for the past year and a half. Licking his wounds after his ex-boyfriend sent him to hospital. (Side note, I sure write that a lot this week. :( There's entirely too much violence in the world). Anyway Kee is finally ready to re-enter the world again and agrees to go out clubbing with his friends. There he meets Tate and he has a hard time keeping his eyes off the twink. Expecting nothing more than a quick hookup, he's surprised of how quickly they do connect in other areas and so they meet again. And again. I loved them together, each being what the other needed. Building the other up, helping and having a lot of fun (and sex) along the way.

There were a lot of humor in this book - not the least when Jamie entered the scene. He's still as insane and talkative as always. I loved the parts where he and Tate bonded over football, both equally uninterested and clueless of the game and rules. To their point where their respective boyfriends actually moved away from them and their insane comments. ;)

Sure, this book wasn’t flawless by any means. There were a few things that kind of started but was then forgotten or ignored; Matt-the-rat (abusive ex) entering the scene for a brief moment. That never really went anywhere part from creating drama for the moment. Then there was the whole Tate’s eating disorder issue. At times it was a huge deal, but then it just fizzled out into nothing. That being said, I still enjoyed every second of this book. It was sweet and fun and light. It made me happy, and I can’t really ask for anything more than that.

Joel Leslie was brilliant! I'm a huge fan of his Aussie accent. I can't speak to its authenticity, but to me it sounds accurate, and he keeps it up throughout. He also captured all the characters personalities and gave them individual voices. I think I’m mostly impressed with how he handled Jamie during his word vomiting at supersonic speeds. That cannot have been an easy feat, but he did it and perfectly.

Don't Twunk With My Heart was a great listen and just the perfect way to start the day.

A copy of this book was generously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Warmest Wishes Advent 2018: Week 5

It's Week 5 of the Warmest Wishes Advent Stories! This week we're featuring stories from Renae Kaye, Kim Katil, Crystel Greene, Elizabeth Noble, Bru Baker and Jana Denardo!

ICYMI: Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4

Slow Summer Heat by Renae Kaye

Geoffrey Saxon is in his forties, a bit plump, a lot fuzzy, and rather boring in bed—and thanks to a very public breakup, everyone in his street knows it. However, what they don’t know is that Geoffrey sometimes watches his hot young neighbor, Vaughn, in the pool. Vaughn has invited Geoffrey to join his pool parties, but Geoffrey knows it’s only pity.

As if things can’t get worse, Geoffrey’s air conditioner breaks during a heat wave in Western Australia—and just before Christmas. In search of some relief, he camps out in his backyard, where he also has a prime view of Vaughn swimming… naked. When Geoffrey’s injured falling from his spying post, Vaughn comes to his rescue and Geoffrey doesn’t think he can be more horrified.

But he could be in for a sweet holiday surprise. Is he ready to take the dive?

Ann - 4.5 Hearts

This story does slow burn just right, like, exactly, perfectly right. And when slow burn is done right, it can be hotter than the porniest of porn. Geoffrey gets that and his awkwardness, sincerity and honesty make this story. Slow Summer Heat is a purely character driven story, which works really well for the shorties because the characters can be more fully fleshed out and the balance of banter and activity let me get to know Geoffrey and Vaughn. Well, Geoffrey especially. It was nice to read a story with a more mature MC and watch his ego get stroked by someone who he felt was out of his league, but who ended up being a perfect match for him. The setup made it easy to see why Geoffrey was attracted to Vaughn, but reading about the evolution of Vaughn’s attraction to Geoffrey and Geoffrey’s realization that he deserved the affection was a treat.

Season to Shimmer by Kim Katil

One morning close to the holidays, Nolan wakes up to two surprises: a distress call from his younger brother and a beautiful man in his bed. Nolan, an art gallery owner, has always been discreet about his sexuality, but when his baby brother plans to come out at the annual family gala, Nolan wants to have his back—and that means showing up with a man of his own on his arm. Nolan knows just the man for the job.

Skylar, who owns a karate studio in St. Augustine, can’t get his one-night stand out of his mind. When he runs into Nolan at his gallery he is more than happy to volunteer his services as arm candy. Out-and-proud himself with his striking blue/green hair, Skylar is all in. Their adventure means a fancy salon, family drama, lots of sex, a ninja hippo, and palm trees lit up in a very suggestive way. By the end of it, what started as a hookup might become much more.

Ann - 2.5 Hearts

I loved the idea of this one and the beginning was a seriously hot setup. But then a lot of noise happened with every other character and took away from the two MC’s and that bummed me out. The messages were well received but were delivered in the guise of telenovela drama, which if you like a bit of OTT, then you will love this. I myself appreciate subtlety a bit more, so while this story wasn’t so much for me, I can see the appeal. I liked Nolan and Skylar together, I just didn’t get a real sense of them as a couple so it was harder to buy into the HEA than it should have been.

R *A Reader Obsessed - 3 Hearts

When a pending family holiday party pushes Nolan to come out to support his younger gay brother, it also pushes Nolan to take a chance on finding some romantic love himself. Who better to be his co conspirator and quasi-fake boyfriend than the gorgeous hookup currently occupying his bed? Surely, Nolan can find some “incentive” to get Skylar to be his date.

For me, this was a bit rough around the edges in execution and dialogue. There was a lot going on here that kinda left me spinning. However, I really enjoyed the brotherly vibes and for those who need plenty of smexy, this shortie does not shirk on the goodness. The dynamic between Nolan and Skylar was great and though things moved super fast, having Christmas just around the corner was good enough for me and apparently, good enough for these two to push them in the right direction! Cheers!

Santa on the Beach by Crystel Greene

The sexy Santa and the virgin dad....

Single dad Mario, twenty-one, has finally won shared custody of his five-year-old son, Sammy. They’re spending Christmas at a Tenerife resort to celebrate. The children’s swimming instructor, Josie, is sexy and fun, and Mario can’t stop dreaming about him. But Mario has no clue how to talk to a hot guy.

With his suntan, Speedos, and rippling abs, Josie seems to be the typical jock. He’s super sweet too, and everyone loves him. But he only has eyes for the fire-eyed little dad who looks like his son’s older brother and won’t stop policing the swimming class.

Sammy would like to be a king in the hotel’s nativity play. But he’s too afraid to go anywhere without his dad.

Mario would like a holiday romance with Josie, or even a little more, but between building his tech company and trying to do his part as Sammy’s father he has missed out on a lot and is too inexperienced to know where to begin.

Luckily Santa might have just the thing for everyone on his list...

Ann - 4.5 Hearts

Santa on the Beach was so much more than I expected and I loved Mario and his story. The author managed to fit SO much nuance into a short story and it was seriously impressive. The story was told from Mario’s perspective and it was a take on young fatherhood that I had never read before. I don’t usually go for stories with kids in them and it’s only because I don’t give them a fair shake. It’s no easy feat to write a story with a believable little kid, but Crystel Greene did it and the realistic difficulties Mario had with his son Sammy were in turn heart-waming and heart-wrenching, but in the end, realistic.

Reading Mario’s perspective and the stress he felt about measuring up as an extremely young father gave me a lot of respect for his character. At the same time, his crush on Josie gave him some hard won focus on himself for a change and while he fought it pretty adorkably hard, Josie appreciated Mario for how he should be appreciated.

The depth of this story along with the lovable characters and excellent banter made me search out more of this author’s stories as soon as I finished.

Twenty-Nine Hours to Eternity by Elizabeth Noble

Being gay and pagan can make for a lonely holiday season, as Ian knows well. He’s used to celebrating alone. The last place he expects to meet a like-minded guy is at LAX during a twenty-nine-hour layover.

Ian’s never felt so comfortable or compatible with another man, even if there is an air of mystery to Race.

Race is no stranger to holiday isolation, and he decides they should seize the opportunity they’ve been given and observe the Saturnalia the way it was meant to be. A grand celebration ensues, where every moment is special and every meal a feast. The ancient traditions take on new meaning as the men find meaning in each other. But each of them has a destiny and for their paths to continue together, it’ll take a kind of magic that hasn’t been seen in centuries.

Ann - 3 Hearts

This story was truly unique and while it didn’t have a lot of world building to be able to attach to, it was still bittersweetly intriguing. The hints of the paranormal throughout are subtle at first, but make more sense as the story evolves. The blurb makes it sound bigger than what it is, the story itself is not that dramatic, but the level of detail I got worked for the length of the story. I liked Ian and Race together very much and it was obvious from their connection they were meant to be together. There was only one way for that to be a thing, hence the bittersweet, but I still wasn’t too sad, and that says a lot for how the author set it up and the amount of detail provided. It wasn’t an expected type of holiday story, but it still had the core feels that made it memorable.

R *A Reader Obsessed - 3 Hearts

This was odd but weirdly enjoyable but odd.

Ian has a long layover waiting to service his next flight. However will he wile away the next 29 hours? Luckily, he meets Race, a stranger who he finds compelling and charming, and what ensues over the next day is them getting to know each other fabulously and celebrating the holiday through their shared pagan beliefs.

What Ian doesn’t realize is that the future brings an interesting development, and Race has apparently been waiting for this event and Ian for a long long time…

Obviously, this has a bit of paranormal/fantasy whimsy thrown in. Mix it with a little fate and you’ve got an interesting original set up that brings a twist on Ian and Race’s HEA!

Holidays Are Where Your Heart Is by Bru Baker

Jared’s been all over the world as a traveling manny with Holiday Helpers, and the itch to put down roots is starting to eclipse his wanderlust—especially since his current family is a handful.

After culinary school, Wes did some wandering of his own, exploring Central America before settling as a resort chef in his mother’s homeland of Costa Rica, a place he loves and where he plans to stay. If he’s learned one thing, it’s to be wary of flings with vacationers. Still, he can’t stand to watch two little Swiss kids lose their belief in Saint Nicholas, so he’ll lend a hand to the manny assisting the family. It won’t be easy to recreate a traditional European Christmas in a tropical paradise.

Between a snowball fight on a sunny beach and sledding down an active volcano, Jared and Wes discover some renewed holiday magic of their own. Can they make it last a lifetime?

Ann - 3.5 Hearts

Jared is feeling like he’s at the end of his traveling manny career. He’s dedicated to the education of kids and is anxious to try a new way to reach them. His latest charges have seemingly absentee parents so he has a big job on his hands to make these kids feel like they aren’t missing the Christmas they know while on a tropical beach. He gets help from the chef/surf teacher on site and of course, the two of them hit it off and it was pretty smooth and angst free. It made it easy to appreciate them as a couple and the near perfection of their relationship was all kinds of Hallmark. It wasn’t too saccharine sweet though, Jared and Wes had just enough snark to keep it real-ish, while still being holiday perfect. I totally bought into an HEA for them, so while the perfection may not have been 100% realistic, the author made me want to believe it, and so I did.

Purrfect Holiday by Jana Denardo

Tony Gatti had his life planned: get his veterinarian license and go to work with his dad and uncle. Soon after achieving his goals, he learned the shadows and blurriness in his vision went beyond needing glasses. Retinitis pigmentosa is a genetic mutation with no cure. With his sight almost gone, he moves into his grandmother’s St. Augustine, Florida, home with his guide dog, Raven, to start life over. Nonna Concetta thinks she knows the perfect job for him. Her vet is looking for someone to destress the cats at a local rescue.

Javier didn’t plan to hire a cute former veterinarian to fill the role of cat cuddler, but Tony couldn’t be more perfect. Worried his attraction is inappropriate and knowing the holiday season always depresses him, Javier wonders if he should ask Tony out, or if he’d just be spreading the gloom to someone who already has enough of his own. But if he takes the plunge, could it turn out to be the best holiday ever?

Ann - 3.5 Hearts

Well, I’m a sucker for holiday stories. I’m also a sucker for stories with critters. Put the two together and it’s pretty much a recipe made for me. Purrfect Holiday had the makings to be entirely too adorable, but the author managed to bring in some reality to keep it from being that side of too much. Both men had issues outside the vet’s office and those things made their meeting much more important than just two guys being attracted to one another. Tony has a degenerative eye disease that he is learning to live with and Javier has some family that refuses to accept him; totally different heartbreaks, but heartbreaks nonetheless. They each could use a little shoring up and they found it with one another through the pets they’ve dedicated their lives too. It made for a meet-cute that wasn’t too cute, but also wasn’t too heavy either. The author struck a good balance between the reality of their situations and the hope they found with each other.

R *A Reader Obsessed - 3.5 Hearts

Animal lovers watch out! There's all sorts of dog and cat adorable-ness coming your way!

Disabled Tony doesn’t let his impending blindness inhibit him too much. So, when his grandmother finds him a part time job cuddling those in need at her vet’s office, it’s the perfect distraction. Bonus points for Tony, because hot doctor Javier is hot!

The progression between Tony and Javier was appreciatively sweet, realistic, and romantic. Throw in the bestest seeing eye dog, a geektastic meddling grandma, and plenty of food porn (sadly none of the real stuff) and this was quite the enjoyable and cute holiday romance!

Review copies were provided by the publisher in exchange for honest opinions.

Audiobook Review: You Are the Reason (The Tav #2) by Renae Kaye

Davo’s a pretty average guy. He has a decent job, owns his own home, and spends his weekends at the pub. He fully accepts that he’s gay, but doesn’t want to be one of those gays, who are femme and girly. He likes football and other masculine pursuits, and firmly avoids anything that could be seen as femme—including relationships that last beyond fifteen minutes.

Then Davo’s friend and gay idol not only gets a boyfriend, but also adopts a baby girl. Davo is seriously spooked and scuttles down to the pub in fright. That’s where he meets Lee, who is cute from her cherry-red hair, to her pretty little dress and pointy red shoes. Davo is charmed—but how is that possible? He’s gay. Isn’t he? Then Lee tells him he’s actually a guy—he just likes to wear women’s dresses occasionally. Thoroughly confused about an attraction that’s out of character for him, Davo begins the long journey to where he can accept himself without caring what everyone else thinks.

Narrator: Dave Gillies
Run Time: 8 hrs, 19 mins

Wow. Adorable! Absolutely adorable!

This is Lee *insert red hair*.

Lee is down-to-earth and honest even if it's painful. He is sweet, funny, loves football and helping people within the LGBTQI community, he also “likes to dress in women's clothing sometimes”.

This is Dave *I will not say Davo, because seriously, what a tool name!!!*

Dave… well Dave…. you see, Dave….. Dave has got some pretty fucked up views on what it means to be gay. Gay men don't... no not don't, can't have serious relationships with babies and monogamy. He is also a weird mix between proudly gay and homophobic, he doesn't like and doesn't want to know 'those types​ of gays’. It took me a long time to understand him and even longer not to get pissed at him.

However fear not, it was soooooooo much better than I expected!

Dave is instantly drawn to Lee, despite thinking he's a woman, so much so he starts to worry about his sexual orientation. When Dave finds out Lee is a man I expected a massive blowout and stupid opinions to spew out of his mouth. What he did was ask some stupid questions but he never denied his feelings for Lee and knew he wanted to pursue those feelings, regardless of what he wore. He continued to struggle with his views but the moment he said something stupid he instantly questioned why he believed what he did and changed in a way to better himself.

I loved Dave by the end. He was such a jovial character who wanted so bad to be with Lee and never doubted​ those feelings.

The narration was pretty damn great. Lee's voice was a little breathy but I got used to it quickly. In fact I think this may have been better in audio. There were a few very cheesy lines which this author is known for, but they kind of flew by with the narration, I think I would have noticed them more if reading it.

It's always a little special reading Australian books, I love hearing about these characters going to Bunnings and watching the footy. However I could have done without the blow by blow of an AFL (Aussie footy) game, I don't enjoy it in real life, definitely don't enjoy it in my books :-P. Also there is this weird event that occurs near the end which I don't even want to talk about because it was sooo out of place and random, absolutely did not need to be there at all! it didn't affect the story and was over super quick but it was just… weird.

The sex was pretty fantastic! Very passionate and a little bit rough. There was a killer sexy strip tease with Lee in a dress which was hot hot hot!!

In the end, there's nothing quite like a simple romance of two unlikely, but loveable people finding their happily ever after and this story is truly that! I'd definitely recommend the audiobook as well!

A review copy was provided.

Review: The Straight Boyfriend (Loving You #3) by Renae Kaye

Aaron Hall has never been able to remain faithful to a single woman, and for most of his life, he’s dated two women at once. Recently his girlfriend tracked him down and knocked on his door—and his live-in girlfriend answered. Now he has no girlfriend and a mortgage he can’t pay by himself.

Vinnie Rosello needs to change his life—get a better job, stop drinking all his money away, find himself a serious boyfriend… and move out of his parents’ house. Aaron needs help with his expenses, so they become housemates.

Even though Aaron harbors some misconceptions about gay men and Vinnie misses his large Italian family, both men find comfort in their friendship. It’s a good arrangement until everything between them changes

Vinnie falls in love with Aaron, and Aaron is shocked to realize he feels the same. There’s only one problem—he’s still straight. He’ll have to overcome his fear of labels in order to love the man who’s captured his heart.

Labels. Like them or loathe them we are surrounded day in, day out by labels. Alcoholic, bi, cis,  depressive, disabled, dyslexic, dyspraxic, female, gay, husband, male,  partner, queer, straight, teacher, trans, wife,    , .. I could go on, the list is endless. Human instinct is to categorise, to order, to try and understand, and labelling is a way of doing this. Is it right? I don't know. Sometimes labels can become very dangerous, an alcoholic is more than an alcoholic, yet you can bet your life that is the term that defines them, I know from personal experience; dad, son, husband, chef, loving, funny... they all come after the alcoholic label. It can be so dangerous to reduce a person to a label.

BUT...

...and this took me a while to understand, for some people labels are exactly what they need. It helps them understand themselves and gives them a place to belong. Pansexual. For someone who has never understood their attraction because it doesn't conform to what society understands, to be able to be labelled as pansexual gives something to identify with. As humans we are all different. We are unique. Our feelings and emotions and identities are ours to own and label as we please. Right?

Aaron, frankly on the surface I didn't really like him, for a start he consistently cheats on girlfriends because he's not getting enough sex. Not exactly endearing in a romantic lead! Then he has a relationship with Vinnie yet refuses to label himself as anything other than straight... but the more I thought about it, the more I realised, isn't that his right? It's his label for himself. To me, maybe to the majority, he is bisexual. When I google the meaning of bisexual it says:

noun

1. 1.

   a person who is sexually attracted to both men and women.

Aaron is attracted to women, but he's also attracted to Vinnie, a man. Therefore by dictionary definition, he's bi. Just because it's only one man doesn't change the fact that Vinnie is a man to whom Aaron is sexually attracted. Yet he really doesn't want to identify as anything other than straight. And that is his right. Nobody has a right to tell someone they can't identify the way they want to, and that works every way. Bi-erasure is COMPLETELY wrong, but so is taking away the right for an individual to identify with whichever label they want. Personally, I think bisexuality makes more sense than anything else, we are all people and are attracted to people... but that is just my opinion and I don't expect anyone else to have the same view as me!

So what does this have to do with the book? Well Aaron is very hung up on the labels and it makes admitting that he has fallen in love with Vinnie difficult, he is adamant he's not gay, nor bi, he's straight. See above for my feelings on this. 

The thing is, on the surface this is a funny, sweet love story between two people who don't feel like they would belong together. I'm a sucker for friends to lovers and Aaron and Vinnie are definitely friends before anything else. Vinnie brings out the best in Aaron, he makes us see the nice side of this serial cheater. He is a good friend, thoughtful and kind and the blossoming romance made my heart go gooey. I think you could read this and just be enamoured by the romance. Or you can read it and think deeply about labels and how they fit in society. Is there a definitive right or wrong? I don't think so - but that's just my opinion.

Personally I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone who loves sweet romances.

A copy of this book was given in exchange for an honest review.

Find on Dreampinner Press or Goodreads!

Review: Don't Twunk With My Heart (Loving You #2) by Renae Kaye

Kee Smith isn’t sure who he is anymore. He knows who he used to be—the ignored gay son who chose a blue-collar job just because no one expected it, the submissive bottom who enjoyed large, masculine jocks who put him in his place, the sleek, fashionable twink who partied all night. But after his ex-boyfriend hit Kee and called him names, Kee retired from the social scene.

Back after a year’s hiatus, Kee still doesn’t know where he fits. His friends say he’s a twunk—a twink who put on muscle and turned into a hunk—but Kee is searching for somewhere to belong. Instead of going back to his usual type, Kee hooks up with twink Tate Stevens—a fashion-industry professional who works the image hard. It proves to be the best decision he’s ever made, and not just because he’s starting to regain his sexual confidence.

With Tate, Kee can open up about his fears and confusion without ridicule. Tate has his own fears about putting on weight and getting old. It will take work to make a relationship of opposites succeed, but they begin to realize the compromises will be worth it if they can be together.

I liked this more than I thought I would, but maybe that’s because I was expecting the worst. A lot of people have been less than favourable with their reviews so far, and I think that would be largely due to everyone else having read the first book in the series, Loving Jay. Due to that being so successful I think it would be hard to do anything other than compare the two. I haven’t read Loving Jay (I know, don’t shoot me) so I could enjoy this book as a standalone. I really did enjoy this a lot, but I found it's not particularly memorable.

Urgent matter to attend to first!!!! I need to rectify the images on the front cover. The one of Tate (the blonde) isn’t too bad, but what is with the picture of Kee?!?!? Hell NO! so here’s my versions of Kee and Tate.

Kee

Tate

Anyway, this story is very simple and very sweet. We have Kee, who was a twink until his boyfriend hit him and he decided to lose himself in his work, which happens to be steel welding. Due to the very heavy physical work, Kee buffs up and finds himself resisting his submissive side in fear he’ll become another victim.

Kee and Tate meet at a nightclub and hit it off straight away. What starts out as a one-night stand progresses into a loving relationship over the period of months. I actually really liked how realistic this relationship progression was. They spent time together, had great sex, fell in love after a few months and reached a HEA.

There was plenty of sex and it was well written. I for one enjoyed reading them ;-) Okay, a lot of you would probably know I like role-playing scenes by now, yeah? Well this book certainly has a role-playing scene, but unfortunately I must say I didn’t find it sexy at all. However it was most certainly hilarious! I am sure I would be exactly like Kee if I ever did role-playing.

Kee and Tate were both sweet characters, but Jay just stole the show. I can see why people liked Loving Jay, Jay was vibrant and the he made every scene he was in come alive. However this book wasn’t about Jay, and yet he was a large part of the story. Even the epilogue was about him and Liam. It just felt a bit like the author was milking what worked well in the past, when the story should have been mainly about Kee and Tate.

There were also a few storylines that just finished rather suddenly, or were tied up way too neatly. Tate has a supposed “eating disorder” that just disappears... He just starts eating and everything is hunky dorey. Kee’s ex-boyfriend Matt was the absolute most OTT villain I have ever read about (and that's saying something because I have read a lot of OTT books) and once again that whole storyline was cleared up with one very short scene. The book also ended quite abruptly. Nothing was left unfinished per se, the ending just sort of crept up on me.

I think a lot of people will really enjoy this book. It sweet and romantic, it’s a bit silly in places and a bit over the top but overall rather enjoyable.

For more info on, Dreamspinner Press or Goodreads!

Anniversary Shenanigans: Author Visit and Giveaway: Renae Kaye

Today we have the lovely and talented Renae Kaye visiting with us.  Let's see if she reveals any of her dirty little secrets, shall we?

Hi Renae!

Hi guys! Thanks for hosting me here today, and hey! Congrats on the anniversary. *happy dance*

One thing you need to know about me, is that I’m hyper and crazy. It’s like you need to cut the caffeine off for me or something. I guess that shows in my writing, because you really need to read my books with a sense of humour. My aim in writing is to make the reader smile and hopefully laugh out loud several times.

(And I know I’ve succeeded in that – I’ve had several people tell me they’ve received strange looks when reading my book on public transport. Apparently the snorts and giggles attract attention.) *gasp* LOL!

So lovely Jenni Lea has sent me along a bunch of silly questions to answer. *rubs hands together* Great! Let’s get started.

What are your favorite M/M themes? 
Oooh! I really love the opposites attract type stuff.

You want to draw me into a book? You make the jock fall for the geek. Line up the serious older guy in the sights of the younger not-so-serious one. The prince and the pauper. The twink and the bear. Rawr…

What books do you consider Desert Island Keepers?
Oh my holy schmoly! What a hard question! But consulting my kindle and my paperback library, some of the most re-read books I have are (in no particular order):

Wes & Toren by JM Colail
Tigers and Devils by Sean Kennedy
Social Skills by Sara Alva
Too Stupid To Live by Anne Tenino
Ethan Who Loved Carter by Ryan Loveless
Muscling Through by JL Merrow
When One Door Opens by JD Ruskin

What's your go-to tasty beverage?
Coffee. I drink coffee. Lots of it.

If I’m at home, it’s just instant stuff. If I’m out it’s a cappuccino. (Ummm – froth!)

Do you have any secret talents? Inquiring minds want to know.
Secret? You mean apart from me writing m/m romance?

Hmmm – how about the fact that I can knit? I have 100’s of knitting books and patterns, and lots of wool stashed under beds waiting to be used. I’ve taught myself to knit without looking at my hands, so I can watch TV or hold a conversation while knitting. If I go anywhere that I expect to be waiting for ages (ie waiting for the doctor or a long car trip), I’ll take my knitting bag and get some more done on my project.

In my novel The Shearing Gun, Hank’s uncle spins his own wool and knits. My mother does this, which is where I got the knitting bug from. We used to have special sheep on our farm that my mother was breeding up for hand spinning. I still remember the names of the sheep, even though they are in their sheepie heaven. I can pull on a jumper that Mum made me and think: this wool was Stripey’s/Ella’s/Lilly’s.

My father (before his death) also used to spin his own thread, but he preferred to use the wool for felting or French knitting.

Several of my sisters also knit.

I remember when my father was terminally ill in hospital, we would just come and sit by his bedside for hours, so that one of us was always with him. We would visit around our work and kids’ schedules. One day, my mother, sister and I all happened to be in the room at the same time. Dad was sleeping, so the three of us sat in silence, the clicking of our needles the only sound. The doctor entered and was shocked to see three women sitting in silence, each knitting their project.

(I’m still not sure if he was shocked because three women could sit in silence, or that three women were doing an activity that is not commonly seen these days. I suspect the former… LOL).

If you had to choose to be one magical beast, what would it be and why? (you don't have to say unicorn...but we won't say neigh either) 
Do you know what? I love the calmness of the ocean and the beauty beneath the water. I’m not really sure what animal it is, but I’d love to be a large non-predatory sea creature who glides through the water like I’m flying.

I don’t want to be a mermaid, because they have the need to be in a social setting. I want to be like Loch Nessie – solitary, calm, alone in my own space.

This may sound anti-social, but I come from a ginormous family. I have two small children. I cherish silence and time alone.


Do you have author envy? Whose words do you read and think, "GAH, I wish I wrote that!"? 
Hahaha – of course! Mostly I look at authors in awe of how they’ve built themselves up. I think that is when I get starry-eyed. I watch them in action, or read their latest offering, and I applaud their success in doing something we all love.

But the authors I sit and stare at with longing?

JL Merrow is a favourite of mine for coming up with something that sits half in the box, and half out of the box. I love contemporary novels with a bit of humour, and JL gives me this. Her stories are simple love stories, but with something you don’t always find – a character who is not your “average” character. This is my favourite type of character, and the one I write mostly about.

Cardeno C. is an author who I love to fall into stories by. Emotional and satisfying are the words that come to mind when I think of Cardeno’s stories. I’ve yet to work out whether it is the poetry of the words on the page, or the beautiful scenarios Cardeno paints. I try to read the book with an analytical mind, but end up being swept up into the story and forget I’m trying to learn a craft.

Any new projects you're currently working on? 
I’m currently working on an unnamed WIP that is a spin-off from The Blinding Light. Someone asked me about Davo, Jake’s friend, and my mind took off racing. The story I have so far starts about three weeks after The Blinding Light finished, so you get to see Patrick and Jake’s first weeks as a family.

I’ve also started, but not progressed much (I’m about ¼ of the way in) on a spin-off from Loving Jay. I hope to have them both finished or near to finished by the end of the year.

Now **shameless promo plug coming up**, my newest release is OUT TOMORROW. Yes, I’m super excited (get off the caffeine, Renae) and bouncing off the walls.

It’s called Safe in His Arms and is really a beautiful story of two men, so hurt and running from their pasts, meeting and realising that all they ever need is in the arms of the other.

Blurb: In the late-night quiet of the caravan park shower room, Lon Taylor washes away the filth of the Western Australian mines. He’s not looking for anyone, but when Casey offers, Lon doesn’t turn him down. 

Welcoming the young man in his big, hairy arms, Lon provides a safety to Casey that he has never known, and Casey wants to stay forever. Still reeling from the breakup of his family years ago, Lon’s not sure he’s ready for the responsibility of the comfort and security Casey craves. 

But perhaps Lon can risk opening his heart again and hoping for a brighter future. Casey has some pretty big skeletons in his past to deal with. And Lon wonders what Casey will do when he finds out how badly Lon failed at protecting the ones he loved eight years ago. 

I really enjoyed writing this one, and I hope the readers enjoy it too. Lon and Casey are two men who nearly broke, but have come back with greater strength. I just want to wrap them up in cotton wool and keep them safe, but instead I put their story down on paper for everyone to enjoy.

To the BMB Team: Thank you for having me on your site. It was great fun to be here and I hope the readers enjoy my newest offering.

How to contact Renae:
Email: renaekaye@iinet.net.au 
Website: www.renaekaye.weebly.com
FB: www.facebook.com/renae.kaye.9
Twitter: @renaekkaye
 

As a prize for having to sit through all these answers, I’m offering one lucky reader an eBook of their choice from my backlist:

Loving Jay (check it out on Amazon) 

The Blinding Light  (check it out on Amazon)

The Shearing Gun (check it out on Amazon) 

Good luck!

To enter to win, please leave a comment on this blog post and let us know (1) your name and a means of contacting you (e.g., email, Twitter handle, link to Goodreads account, etc.) and (2) what's your Desert Island Keeper.

The giveaway is open until 10:00PM (Pacific time) on December 4th. 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 hours or we will choose another winner. 

Review: Loving Jay by Renae Kaye

One thing Liam Turner knows for sure is that he's not gay—after all, his father makes it very clear he’ll allow no son of his to be gay. And Liam believes it, until a chance meeting with James “Jay” Bell turns Liam’s world upside-down. Jay is vivacious and unabashedly gay—from the tips of his bleached hair to the ends of his polished nails. With a flair for fashion, overreaction, and an inability to cork his verbal diarrhea, Liam believes drama queen Jay must have a screw loose.

An accident as a teenager left Liam with a limp and a fear of driving. He can’t play football anymore either, and that makes him feel like less of a man. But that’s no reason to question his sexuality... unless the accident broke something else inside him. When being with Jay causes Liam’s protective instincts to emerge, Liam starts to believe all he knew in life had been a convenient excuse to stay hidden. From intolerance to confrontations, Liam must learn to overcome his fears—and his father—before he can accept his sexuality and truly love Jay.

I loved everything about this book.  No seriously, every last bit!  It was just so… so… charming.

We first meet Liam at the train station where he’s missed his train and he’s upset, not because he will be late for work but because he won’t be able to see the beautiful blonde he’s been fascinated with for the past few weeks.  Not that he’s gay or anything.  Nope.  Not gay.

    “My dad would kill me, so I can’t be gay.”

It was heartbreaking to read passages like that in this book.  I really felt for Liam and wanted to cuddle him close when he made comments like that.  What he was going through hit close to home.  You see, I recently watched my own child go through the anguish of coming out as transgender.  I watched my sweet baby, whom I love more than my own life start to withdraw from her friends and family.  Her grades started slipping in school and she seemed so depressed that I was afraid she was on the verge of suicide.  It turns out she just felt she was living a lie and was not comfortable in her own skin and she was so afraid of telling me what was going on.  So, I got where Liam was coming from.  I could see echos of my own child’s fear in Liam.  So when he finally came to terms with who he really is I was overjoyed.

    “Then I came to a sudden realization.  I’m so gay.”

What I liked most about this book is that everything seemed so real.  Like reading a story about my neighbor or cousin or friend.  Neither of the MCs had fancy or exciting jobs.  Neither of them were rich, nor were they orphans or savants.  They were just two everyday ordinary people who were in actuality, extraordinary.  Well, maybe just Liam.  Jay is nothing near ordinary.  But he wasn’t over the top either.  I’ve known people in real life who were a bit like Jay.  What Jay has is flair.  He has such a big heart too.  And lets not forget his infinite patience.

I think this may be the first time I truly was able to see and more importantly, understand how hard it can be for someone to come out.  I will never really completely understand what it is like because I am not gay but, due to the exemplary writing in this book I am able to comprehend quite a bit more about what goes on in the mind of a gay man on the verge of a life altering decision such as this.  My heart was breaking for Liam yet at the same time I was cheering him on whenever he reached a new milestone.  I have to say, I fell quite a bit in love with him and I pretty much see him as a hero.  True bravery is recognizing your fears, accepting them and reaching beyond them.  True heroism is being able to be true to yourself, seeing your flaws for what they are and pushing yourself to be the best you can possibly be despite, or sometimes even because of those flaws.  This is Liam.  This is why I love him.

    “You really are a hero, aren’t you?”

Yes, he really, truly is.

Even though I got caught up in all the feels in this book, it still came across as a light, fun read.  The silliness and the snark were a delight to read and both Jay and Liam just charmed the pants right off me.  I had a big, silly grin on my face through most of the book and I kept letting out smoopy sighs as I watched these two on their journey from friends to lovers to partners.  They were perfectly imperfect and I fell in love with both of them, almost from page one.

Renae Kaye, you are on my radar now.  I eagerly await your next work.  You are going to go far, I can see it.  Brava!