Giveaway + Blog Tour: Action (A Murmur Inc. novel) by Quinn Anderson

Quinn Anderson is here today talking character names. She's also promoting her latest, Action, a contemporary MM romance involving PORN STARS!!!

Also be sure to enter the giveaway below. Good Luck!

Picking Character Names

I have trouble coming up with character names. I admit it. I tend to go for the same kind of names all the time, too. For a while, my main characters all had one syllable, four letter names: Zack, John, Pete, Evan, Kyle, and so on. I needed some variety, so naturally I turned to lists of popular baby names, but for some added fun, I also used Facebook.

Whenever I need a name, I post on Facebook saying, “the first person to comment on this gets a character named after them!” and whoever is the fastest wins! Not a bad way to get immortalized in print, right? And my followers always have a lot of fun in the comments, whether they were first or not. Some have even told me they set their preferences so that my statuses show up first, so they can snatch a spot before it’s gone, ha ha.

That’s a good reason to follow my Facebook author page, if you like! You could end up in one of my novels. 😊

Thanks for reading, and good luck in the giveaway!

Hello, everyone! This is Quinn Anderson, author of the Murmur Inc. series, and I’m here to share some inside information about Action, coming out June 5th. Stay tuned to get an inside look at what filming porn is really like, hear fun facts about this novel, and find out what’s next for the Murmur Inc. series. Leave comments on the tour posts for a chance to win a $10 Riptide Publishing gift card!

About Action

Pete Griflow is the last person anyone would suspect of being a porn star. He’s quiet, gawky, and can’t even talk to guys without turning red. But on camera, he’s a different person. In the porn world, he’s Jaden Prime, a coquettish power bottom who’s been tantalizing fans for over a year now.

Pete is in a rut, though, and he knows it. And what’s worse, his boss knows it. If he can’t reignite his passion for the biz, he’s going to have trouble paying his none-too-cheap college tuition.

When Pete is given the opportunity to star in a huge summer production, sparks fly between him and his costar, Kyle Darko. Kyle is Pete’s opposite: he’s daring, achingly sexy, and in love with the sex industry. Their chemistry is palpable on and off screen, but dating on a porn set is tricky. Even pros struggle to separate fantasy from reality, especially with a script dictating their seduction. But what’s building between them can’t be ignored, and it’s so much more than getting some “action.”

Now available from Riptide Publishing. https://riptidepublishing.com/titles/action

About Quinn Anderson

Quinn Anderson is an alumna of the University of Dublin in Ireland and has a master’s degree in psychology. She wrote her dissertation on sexuality in popular literature and continues to explore evolving themes in erotica in her professional life.

A nerd extraordinaire, she was raised on an unhealthy diet of video games, anime, pop culture, and comics from infancy. She stays true to her nerd roots in writing and in life and frequently draws inspiration from her many fandoms, which include Sherlock, Harry Potter, Supernatural, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Buffy, Marvel, and more. You will often find her interacting with fellow fans online and offline via conventions and tumblr, and she is happy to talk about anything from nerd life to writing tips. She has attended conventions on three separate continents and now considers herself a career geek. She advises anyone who attends pop culture events in the UK to watch out for Weeping Angels, as they are everywhere.

Her favorite television show is Avatar: the Last Airbender, her favorite film is Tangled, and her favorite book is Ella Enchanted. She can often be spotted at conventions, comic shops, and midnight book releases. If you're at an event, and you see a 6'2'' redhead wandering around with a vague look on her face, that's probably her. Her favorite authors include J.K. Rowling, Gail Carson Levine, Libba Bray, and Tamora Pierce. When she's not writing, she enjoys traveling, cooking, spending too much time on the internet, screwing the rules, finding the Master Sword, guided falling, consulting for the NYPD, guarding the galaxy, boldly going, and catching 'em all.

Connect with Quinn:

●     Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorQuinnAnderson/

●     Tumblr: quinnandersonwrites

To celebrate the release of Action, one lucky winner will receive a $10 Riptide credit! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on June 10, 2017. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

Tag Team Review: Dim Sum Asylum by Rhys Ford

Welcome to Dim Sum Asylum: a San Francisco where it’s a ho-hum kind of case when a cop has to chase down an enchanted two-foot-tall shrine god statue with an impressive Fu Manchu mustache that's running around Chinatown, trolling sex magic and chaos in its wake.

Senior Inspector Roku MacCormick of the Chinatown Arcane Crimes Division faces a pile of challenges far beyond his human-faerie heritage, snarling dragons guarding C-Town’s multiple gates, and exploding noodle factories. After a case goes sideways, Roku is saddled with Trent Leonard, a new partner he can’t trust, to add to the crime syndicate family he doesn’t want and a spell-casting serial killer he desperately needs to find.

While Roku would rather stay home with Bob the Cat and whiskey himself to sleep, he puts on his badge and gun every day, determined to serve and protect the city he loves. When Chinatown’s dark mystical underworld makes his life hell and the case turns deadly, Trent guards Roku’s back and, if Trent can be believed, his heart... even if from what Roku can see, Trent is as dangerous as the monsters and criminals they’re sworn to bring down.

* Novel-length expansion of original short story found in Charmed & Dangerous anthology. *

Averaged!

Adam - 3 Hearts

I read the original short story in the Charmed and Dangerous anthology and I liked it well enough. Like the short, this expanded version delivers on the worldbuilding and crime mystery, though it’s light on the romance.

The book is told through the POV of Roku MacCormick, an inspector with the Chinatown Arcane Crime Division. Though he comes off as sarcastic and distant, it’s a facade he uses to deal with his painful past. His tragic backstory is revealed in stages throughout the book.

Roku’s teamed with newcomer Trent Leonard. Trent is Roku’s complete opposite - polished, by-the-book, and wholly unfamiliar with the intricacies of Chinatown politics. The two clash from the beginning, but there’s also an undeniable attraction simmering between them.

As always with Rhys Ford, the mystery was complex and very entertaining. It’s a rollercoaster of arcane magic, murder, mobster politics, and decades-old family feuds.

At first, there doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to the different dangerous scenarios that Trent and Roku find themselves in. However, as the story progresses, the web that Rhys Ford weaves begins making more sense.

The build-up is slow, but the big conclusion was explosive and kept me on the edge of my seat.

Where this book really shines is the worldbuilding. Rhys Ford creates an alternative universe San Francisco in which different mythical beings live alongside humans, and magic is a common part of life. I really enjoyed the vivid descriptions of the city and its inhabitants.

The romance between Roku and Trent plays second fiddle for most of the book. There’s an immediate attraction between them, but they’re too busy dealing with the investigation to explore it.

Even so, the relationship borders on insta-love. Within a couple of days, both Trent and Roku think they’d be good together in the long-haul. I’m not a fan of insta-love, but I could appreciate that Roku and Trent fit well together. Ultimately though, the romance was just lukewarm.

Also, I would have liked to read Trent’s POV. His backstory is even more complex than Roku’s, so I would have liked more insight on that.

Overall, I enjoyed ‘Dim Sum Asylum.’ The romance wasn’t stellar, but the worldbuilding and mystery kept me reading.


Sara - 5 Hearts

How in the hell do I review this and make any sense? Wow. My mind is full and totally blown from this world Rhys Ford created. I am not sure I will do this book justice but I’m going to try.

First, I never read the short in the Charmed and Dangerous anthology so I have no comparison between the two. I will say I am so damn happy I read this full length story first because with the want I have of more from this world, a short would have left me a total mess.

Okay…

We meet Senior Inspector Roku MacCormick as he is chasing down his current partner who has stolen dragon eggs. Not only is Roku chasing him through the incredible streets of fantastical Chinatown but a group of flying lizards as well who want their eggs back. Shit goes down, Roku saves the eggs but a life is lost in the process. The life is one that is fae, just like Roku is part fae. Why is that important? Because it’s the backbone of this story.

This world, where magical creatures and magic itself exist in today’s San Francisco as we know it was amazing. Ford gives you every detail of the scenes in cinematic storytelling that you are instantly transported to this new world and swear you can smell the wonton soup as you walk down the crowded streets full of mystical creatures. Oh and this world, these creatures? Roku is half fae, a naturally born half breed of faery and human that lives basically in a half state of… everything in his life. Roku is a good cop, he’s amazing at what he does though with a recent loss to his family, he’s become a bit of a lethal weapon, not caring what happens to him as long as the bad guys go down. But Roku carries the weight of this loss not only through stars on his wrist and clusters on his back but with the heaviest chip on his shoulder and guilt on his soul.

When Roku is assigned a new partner courtesy of Captain Gaines who is also his godfather, Roku’s life gets flipped, turned upside down to a place he never knew he could go or one he’s not sure he even wants to.

Let me get my love for Roku’s new partner Trent Leonard out of the way real quick because this man is everything and even more when the contacts come off. I know, that made no sense but it totally will when you read the book. Trust me. Trent is this mystery, this beautiful Nordic mystery of a large and gorgeous man who has secrets but is so damn sexy you forgive him anything. Not that the secrets are bad, they are a bit stalkerish but it’s Trent so it’s all justifiable. The way he sees Roku though? The way he feels about the man and all that he does makes Trent super swoony and then when we learn more about Trent and what’s behind those contacts and what he can do with his hands… gah! He’s just amazing.

But this story, this whole world of fae and magic just blew my mind and I honestly don’t know how to review the full story without spoiling it and I would hate to do that. I will say that nothing is as it seems and just when you think you have a firm grasp on what’s going on, it slithers away from you and shape shifts into something far darker and magical than you, or at least I could have imagined.

I adored this book, if you can’t tell from my rambling. As I said before, Ford has a way with storytelling that is truly cinematic and everything flies off the page in living color that it’s almost tangible. You can smell the food, you can see the wings of the good and the bad fae with their vivid colors, you can see the spelled… everything as it comes alive and you can feel every damn emotion as they bleed into your soul. Was that too much? *shrugs*

While I am still new to the genre of Urban Fantasy I have to say I am falling in love with it. At first it was hard because I am a true hopeless romantic and it’s what I live for but in a story like this, the romance being as it is, not the primary focus, just makes it that much more intense when you get it. Like, you get the moments between Roku and Trent from the beginning, the flirting and the obvious lust between them but once each barrier is broken down and then you get them – really get them – something as simple as going through a door together brings so much swoon you better hope you are sitting down because the emotion will sit you firmly on your ass.

Yeah, this book was sexy. And it was also so deeply entrenched with family dynamics, clan politics and magic that my fingers can’t keep up with my brain as I try to explain how amazing it was. Even Bob the Cat was not only hilarious but freaking great! The story was intense and magical and I hope this becomes a series because there is so much more Trent needs to learn and so much more I need between him and Roku and that end? More, I just need more. Kay?

You know how I can tell when I a book is really good? When I don’t need to even go over my highlights and notes to write a review. I know I have a ton because that’s the way I operate but I am not even going to touch them right now because I need to hide them and keep them safe before I share. Call me selfish, call me weird, call me whatever but right now, I don’t wanna share.

Dim Sum Asylum - the name of the Arcane division of the San Francisco Police Department – was an intriguing and sexy story of one half human, half fae Inspector who’s only half living his life until he meets his new partner and allows him to open him up in oh so many ways. It’s a story about living your full life, taking chances, not killing your elders and making sure the magic, stays where it belongs.

Audiobook Review: Legal Artistry (Art Series #1) by Andrew Grey

Years ago, Dieter Krumpf’s grandmother died and left him everything, including a photo album containing pictures of the art collection she left behind when her family fled the Nazis. Now, Dieter is calling on the services of a lawyer, Gerald Young, to determine whether his family’s legacy might be returned to him.

Gerald doesn’t hold out much hope that the paintings will be returned, but Dieter’s earnestness speaks to him and he agrees to help. At first he concludes that while Dieter has a case, suing in Austria isn’t practical. But Gerald is a good lawyer, and as his feelings for Dieter develop, so does his determination to win the case. Together, Gerald and Dieter navigate research, hearings, and a dysfunctional family in the pursuit of fine art—and discover the art of love along the way.

Listening Length: 8 hours and 25 minutes
Narrator: John Solo

Reviewer: R *A Reader Obsessed*

An interesting set up for a romance, this story nicely brings art, law, and love into the mix.

When going through his beloved grandmother’s belongings, it’s a surprising and amazing find when Dieter discovers that the paintings in his old family photos are currently hanging in a prominent Austrian museum. His great grandfather had commissioned several works from a popular artist of that time, but had to leave them behind as he and his daughter fled from Nazi persecution. Wanting to regain his family’s legacy, Dieter inquires whether it’s even possible to get the paintings back, setting in motion a battle he never expected.

Gerald is an up and coming lawyer ready to prove himself. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have high hopes for success regarding Dieter’s case, especially when he finds out the museum is directly supported and maintained by the Austrian government itself, who deems one particular painting a national treasure. It would be nigh impossible to win due to various laws, treaties, and legal stipulations, but Gerald agrees to fully investigate the matter. Luckily, an important piece of evidence is found, and the significant implications of such implies the possibility of setting a new legal precedent for how people could proceed in retrieving priceless lost items now owned by various governments and entities. Gerald knows such a case would make his career, not to mention bring an invaluable amount of notoriety to his firm. It also doesn’t hurt at all that he’s extremely attracted to the guileless Dieter, an interest that is fortuitously mutual.

What ensues in and amongst this legal fight, is the slow romantic progression between Dieter and Gerald, as they work together to build Dieter’s case. Dieter is young and at times, a lot naive to the cutthroat cynical world, but it’s his very innate kindness that lures Gerald in, as he works tirelessly to return what’s rightfully Dieter’s. The process of how they go about trying to obtain the paintings was interesting, and the romance attached to it was very nice, as their love grows slowly and steadily with plenty of sweet sexy interludes to fill in the gaps.

Funnily, this is exactly the second book from Andrew Grey that I’ve listened to, coincidentally both having been narrated by the same person, John Solo. This time around, I enjoyed both the story and its audible rendition so much more, as Solo executes quite an impressive read. Overall, I liked this unique tale. Its ending seques very easily into the sequel featuring a supporting character, as the fallout from Dieter’s case continues. Have no worries - the conclusion to Dieter and Gerald’s journey is complete, but other developments are set in motion, making me curious to see just how this series plays out and evolves.

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

Review: Accepting the Fall by Meg Harding

Confronting the past is never easy.

Cole Whitaker is happy. He has the job and boyfriend he always wanted. His heart’s in no danger of being broken, and he can’t ask for more from life. As a kindergarten teacher, he sees it all; however, one troublesome student has him reaching out to the parent, wanting to help. There’s something about Savanah that tugs at his heartstrings.

He never expected her father.

Zander Brooks hasn’t had an easy life, and he’s made some mistakes. Freshly retired from the military and working as a firefighter, Zander thought he’d left Cole in the rearview mirror. He’s not expecting him to appear in St. Petersburg, Florida, of all places, teaching his daughter’s kindergarten class. Suddenly, his biggest mistake is being shoved in his face.

This is Zander’s chance to close a door he’d never fully shut, but time with his former flame might change his mind.

This book is not helping the author crush I have on Meg Harding. Not one bit and I love it.

Cole Whitaker is in a good place in life. He’s a kindergarten teacher with a passion for animals and attempting to manage decent culinary skills to create edible food for himself and his current boyfriend. When a new student in his class starts behaving along the lines of bullying, he makes a note that he needs to meet with young Savannah’s father as he has learned from the little girl, her mother left. Cole is used to meeting with parents of his students but is so unprepared for who shows up as Savannah’s dad.

Time had done nothing to dull Cole’s memories of Zander Brooks, though he wished it had. He was supposed to be over this.

Zander Brooks is a local firefighter, a position he’s taken after leaving the military and receiving a child on his doorstep with a note telling him she is his daughter. Zander had no idea that a one night stand with a now faceless woman resulted in the creation of a child and now Zander is floundering with learning the process of becoming a parent to a five year old girl with a stubborn streak as wide as the day is long. When Zander decides to finally man or rather dad up and have a conference with Savannah’s teacher, his past comes rushing back to him in the form of Cole and with that, a level of regret disguised as mistakes.

Oh but I am a sucker for a second chance romance and when you add in Zander and Cole being teenagers meeting on a Military base, being each others first and everything for months, back when feelings were involved and hearts were broken and we are now 17 years later? GAH! My heart just aches for the story, for the backstory of what happened now and how will these two navigate the present as the waters of their past threaten to drown them in a tide of emotions.

Oh boy. The angst and UST in this were so damn good!

I have to throw this out there… I LOVE how Cole is with his animals and I am totally jealous of all that land he has. Le freaking animal sanctuary sigh, Cole. Le Sigh.

So, Cole has a boyfriend but while Patrick has become comfortable and safe in his life, he’s never felt the emotions and love he did and still does for Zander. When Zander literally rescues Cole and then they are forced into more interactions with Savannah and class field trips, the men start to remember what it felt like to be with one another and we start to get flashbacks of them together.

This has been… things have been weird since I walked in here months ago. Maybe it’s all in my head, and maybe it’s just me, but we’ve got tension. Our chemistry… it’s still there. I was, in my own roundabout way, trying to tell you that I don’t think we’re in the past. I don’t know that I can pretend we don’t have a history.

I was beyond happy that we get both POV’s in this story. So happy.

Zander has always believed that if you don’t get attached you don’t get hurt, it’s why he ended the relationship with Cole almost two decades ago and why he’s reluctant to care for anyone now. But with Savannah’s introduction into his life and the surprise of Cole reappearing in his life, it’s hard for Zander to stay aloof and unattached. He has the feeling that all he needs to do is fuck Cole out of his system and I wanted him to do it so so so bad because I just knew he was going to fail. A love, even a young love like Zander and Cole had that ended without closure, doesn’t disappear when the one you loved, is standing right in front of you wanting the same damn thing.

Kids in books are never a problem for me. I guess having kids and being one of those kids who was always told they were “four going on forty”, I know that kids don’t always act their age nor their shoe size for the general public. Savannah hasn’t had an easy life in her few years on this planet and she uses what she’s learned to her advantage. It’s a good thing Cole recognizes issues with problem students as something deeper and gives Zander some options to help his daughter. It’s natural for Cole to feel affection for his students and his relationship with Savannah was sweet but OMG watching Zander fall in love with his daughter was nothing short of gorgeous.

Now I mentioned Cole has a boyfriend in this book but for those who need to know, there is no cheating. Cole is a good guy and so is Zander and while both men feel a pull toward one another, neither crosses the cheating line.

What happened between them seventeen years ago hadn’t been teenage lust or infatuation. Everything he’d felt then, he felt now. Except now… now it was so much stronger, though no less confusing.

There is fate and there is serendipity and I believe Cole and Zander truly are the targets of both. Throughout the book the men are thrown together in situations outside of school that would seem contrived if they weren’t so genuine. Once they decide to give what they have between them a second chance I was a goner. Good lord. I love a slow burn romance and this was done so damn well that you feel it. It gives you all the feels you need and they smolder from the heat.

Phew… yeah. This one was good and it was so down to earth and real. There was no need to suspend any sort of reality because all that Cole and Zander have is real and once they open up and trust – again – it’s perfect.

You want to know what else was perfect? That epilogue. Goodness me that was beautiful and everything I could have wanted for everyone involved.

First loves are so important, they can either make you or break you but they are always remembered. When you have a first love like Cole and Zander, one that ends but it’s never had closure, it’s hard to let go of. When that love comes around again, with a second chance of a new ending and a happily ever after, there is nothing else to do take that leap and accept the fall.

An ARC was provided.

Don't miss the Accepting the Fall release blitz + giveaway HERE

Giveaway + Blog Tour: Accepting the Fall by Meg Harding

Meg Harding is here today promoting the release of her newest, Accepting the Fall! See our 5 Heart review HERE! Happy Release Day! Be sure to enter to win an ebook below! Good luck!

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Length: 61,000 words

Cover: Black Jazz Design

Blurb

Confronting the past is never easy.


Cole Whitaker is happy. He has the job and boyfriend he always wanted. His heart’s in no danger of being broken, and he can’t ask for more from life. As a kindergarten teacher, he sees it all; however, one troublesome student has him reaching out to the parent, wanting to help. There’s something about Savanah that tugs at his heartstrings.


He never expected her father.


Zander Brooks hasn’t had an easy life, and he’s made some mistakes. Freshly retired from the military and working as a firefighter, Zander thought he’d left Cole in the rearview mirror. He’s not expecting him to appear in St. Petersburg, Florida, of all places, teaching his daughter’s kindergarten class. Suddenly, his biggest mistake is being shoved in his face.


This is Zander’s chance to close a door he’d never fully shut, but time with his former flame might change his mind.

Excerpt


Time had done nothing to dull Cole’s memories of Zander Brooks, though he wished it had. His stomach rolled, and he had to lock his knees to keep upright. Breathe, Cole, you’re being dramatic. Of all the places for them to see each other after nearly two decades…. It was some consolation, a very small amount, that Zander appeared equally as shocked to see Cole. He stood in the doorway, unmoving and silent, his lips parted. Cole could feel Zander,s gaze on him like a physical touch. It made his skin prickle, his heart skip a beat. He was supposed to be over this.


Cole needed to find his words. He was a professional, and whatever personal history they’d had, it was just that. History. It was irrelevant in this room. He played pretend with his class sometimes. He could do that now. He cleared his throat, feeling a bit like a cat with a hairball. “Hello, Mr… Emerson?” It was less confident than he’d been going for, but it would have to do. Zander took a minute to noticeably reorient himself. He walked into the classroom slowly. His pace could even be considered hesitant. Cole tried to ignore the observation, the nagging surge of satisfaction that he wasn’t alone in being off kilter.


From behind him, Savanah snorted. Cole glommed onto the excuse to look away from Zander and turned to her. Savanah’s pert nose was scrunched. “Can I play outside?” she asked, gaze darting between Cole and her father.


Jesus. Zander was a father. Zander was the father who Cole had been wanting to meet. If Cole didn’t regulate his breathing, he was going to have a full blown panic attack. He’d been in love with one of his student’s fathers. He’d had his heart broken for the first time by him. Seventeen years later and it somehow still stung. “No, but you can use one of the stations,” he said, hoping he didn’t sound too strangled. He ran a hand over the back of his neck, damp from sweat. He thought it was possible he’d had a nightmare like this before.


Savanah pouted but went in silence to the reading corner. She made sure to scuff her shoes over the carpet on the way.


“It’s Mr. Brooks,” said Zander, sounding much closer. His voice was the same, deep and smooth like velvet. It sent parts of Cole’s insides fluttering in a way he hadn’t experienced in years.


Cole retreated under the guise of picking the workbook and pencil off the floor. Savanah had Goldfish crumbs littered around the legs of her desk. “Ah, I see. My apologies.” He aligned the book and pencil symmetrically on the scarred desktop. A few of the workbook’s pages were crinkled now, folding in on themselves. He tried to smooth them down and noticed in the process that Savanah had been working ahead. He made a mental note of it.


He was going to have to stop delaying and face Zander eventually. Could he play this off like he hadn’t recognized Zander or was that cat long out of the bag? “Why don’t you take a seat? I’ll be right with you.” He cupped his hand at the edge of Savanah’s desk and used his other to sweep eraser crumbs into his palm.


“Uh.” Zander coughed, shuffling his feet and rustling his jeans in the process. “Here?”


Cole managed to look at Zander at last. His lips even twitched into a half-smirk of their own accord at the picture of Zander squeezed into a child-sized seat. The smirk didn’t last long. Zander was too close. Cole could make out the nearly golden striations in his irises, could see the slow progression of his pupil taking over the brown. He had a scar at his temple now, a jagged slash from hairline to the arch of his eyebrow. Stress lines looked to be permanently etched in the dark brown skin at the corners of his eyes and mouth. If Cole didn’t know better, he’d have said he was staring at someone in their forties. The years they’d been apart had not been overly kind to Zander.


Strangely the realization left Cole with a hollow feeling, a tinge of… disappointment, maybe. He’d been angry with Zander with every fiber of his teenage being, but buried underneath had always been a quiet hope that Zander would figure out how to be happy.


Clearly he’d not.

Author Bio


Meg Harding is a graduate of UCF, and recently completed a masters program for Publishing in the UK. For as long as she can remember, writing has always been her passion, but she had an inability to ever actually finish anything. She’s immensely happy that her inability has fled and looks forward to where her mind will take her next. She’s a sucker for happy endings, the beach, and superheroes. In her dream life she owns a wildlife conservation and is surrounded by puppies. She’s a film buff, voracious reader, and a massive geek.


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Review: Road to the Sun by Keira Andrews

A desperate father. A lonely ranger. Unexpected love that can’t be denied.

Jason Kellerman’s life revolves around his eight-year-old daughter. Teenage curiosity with his best friend led to Maggie’s birth, her mother tragically dying soon after. Insistent on raising his daughter himself, he was disowned by his wealthy family and has worked tirelessly to support Maggie—even bringing her west on a dream vacation. Only twenty-five, Jason hasn’t had time to even think about romance. So the last thing he expects is to question his sexuality after meeting an undeniably attractive park ranger.

Ben Hettler’s stuck. He loves working in the wild under Montana’s big sky, but at forty-one, his love life is non-existent, his ex-boyfriend just married and adopted, and Ben’s own dream of fatherhood feels impossibly out of reach. He’s attracted to Jason, but what’s the point? Besides the age difference and skittish Jason’s lack of experience, they live thousands of miles apart. Ben wants more than a meaningless fling.

Then a hunted criminal takes Maggie hostage, throwing Jason and Ben together in a desperate and dangerous search through endless miles of mountain forest. If they rescue Maggie against all odds, can they build a new family together and find a place to call home?

Road to the Sun is a May-December gay romance from Keira Andrews featuring adventure, angst, coming out, sexual discovery, and of course a happy ending.

5 Hearts? NO! ALL THE HEARTS! Including my less than perfect one because this book gets them all!!!

Okay. I am going to warn you right now, this will be one hell of a rambling review because this book has left me strung out. I finished it, less than 20 minutes ago and I already have over 2,000 words and notes that have been transcribed from my recordings of thoughts. I had to record them last night on my way to yoga and this morning as I drove my boys to school. There was no time to actually write anything down but I had to get it out so I wouldn’t forget how I was feeling. Pish Posh! As if I could forget a single word or emotion this book gave me.

So, this book starts off with a bang of a prologue that I wasn’t expecting and one that had me wondering where it would all fit in. Once we get into the first chapter, I kinda forgot about what happened because you know, we get Jason Kellerman with his adorable daughter Maggie meeting the hunky Park Ranger Ben Hettler.

I have to take a quick moment to say how much I loved the setting of Glacier National Park in Montana. The park and specifically Lake McDonald (which you drive through the area to get to “Going-to-the-Sun Road” aka “Road to the Sun”) are on my bucket list and my phone’s background is of the gorgeously multicolored stones that show through the crystal clear water of the lake. It’s breathtaking in pictures and I can only imagine the lake, the stones and the park under the big sky is nothing less than stunning in person.

But back to the book.

Jason Kellerman is a 25 year old single father to 8 year old Maggie who is on vacation in Glacier National Park from Philadelphia. The pair is there because the park is young Maggie’s dream come true. You see, Maggie loves nature, the outdoors and everything that comes between the dirt and rocks under her feet to the trees, mountains and birds that line the sky. It’s her dream to be there and Jason is extremely fond of making Maggie’s dreams come true. Jason is a young father, having conceived Maggie with his best friend Amy during a fumbling encounter so Amy would have her first time with someone she trusted. The first time produced Maggie and shortly after her birth, an accident took the life of Amy and her parents. While almost everyone, including his own family, suggested that Jason either give Maggie up or let his parents raise her as his sister, Jason refused and set out to make a life raising his infant daughter on his own.

Jason’s issues with doing everything for his daughter are not foreign to me. It’s actually quite easy to get so wrapped up in your child and being the good parent, for whatever reason, that you lose sight of who you are. You are this new label, this new name of Dad and that is all that matters because your child, this innocent being that relies on you for just about everything has become your world and you end up revolving around them. But a tight and constant revolution can throw off the entire balance of the body, mind and spirit and that is where Jason currently resides. He just doesn’t realize it until he meets Ben.

Told in dual POV’s we know that Jason is fond of Ben when they meet and Ranger Ben leads a group on a hike and not only tolerates Maggie’s endless questions and on point answers, he seems to genuinely like interacting with her. We get Ben’s perspective right away and his thoughts on not only the young father – who is not his usual type – but Maggie as well warmed my heart. I adored Ben and when we learn that his long term boyfriend left him for the glitz and glamour of a Hollywood actor and became all that he and Ben were supposed to be, it broke my heart. Ben is left floundering with who he is and stuck in a town and a job that's been all he’s known. He hasn't stepped outside of what he wanted or where he thought he should be until he meets Jason and lovely, lovely Maggie. Only then does he start to realize that the instant attraction and protectiveness he has with Jason, this want/need to teach Maggie… these things are everything that Ben has been looking for his entire life and finally finds in a man and his daughter on vacation who showed up for a group hike. Ben, in a way reminds me of my husband who places family on the top all lists he could ever make. The man wanted nothing more but to be married and have children from the time he was a teen and Ben is the same way. At 41 years old, the ruggedly handsome park ranger is more than ready to settle down with a husband to take care of and kids to fawn over. It’s a nice thing he is attracted to Jason who has a sort of ready-made family to go. Right?

So Ben and Jason meet, there is an attraction on both parts and while Ben is ready for some action while Jason is available on vacation, Jason is still processing the feelings he gets as he is with Ben and checking Ben out. I loved sexual awakening/journey or even coming of age that we get with Jason. He and Amy got pregnant by mistake when they were both so young, just babies as teenagers that he never had the chance to explore what he likes, and who he was actually attracted to sexually. Jason’s thoughts on men and men in magazines was always more towards admiration of their physique and not an attraction to them in a sexual way. Ben naturally awakens these new feelings, this attraction and acknowledgment in Jason and it’s incredibly beautiful. I am sure that didn’t make much sense because the way Keira Andrews wrote it was gorgeous but I had to mention it.

Anyway. The men meet, they begin to spend more time together doing all sorts of hiking and sight-seeing whenever Ben could meet them and the rafting trip opens up Jason in a new way. But, his new insight about who is attracted to, namely men but more directly Ben, he starts to question if he is allowed to want it. Again, Jason’s decisions as a parent are not unique. Jason's parental guilt is something I think most parents have to deal with especially if you're a single parent you feel it a little bit more just because you're the only one your child has. Jason who decided to keep Maggie at such a young age has even more guilt and a chip on his shoulder, of being the perfect parent and as a parent, it's hard to face the fact that you took two heartbeats out of your life to give something to yourself and something awful happens. As a parent, yes sometimes we become so centered on our child that we forget that to be a good parent that self-care and self-love has to happen or else we can't be the parent our child truly needs. If Jason doesn't take care of his needs of letting himself feel emotions and be physical with somebody, with Ben, and allow himself to feel and love he's going to be full of anxiety and full of the worry… and we saw it happen.

Sorry. Rambling Red is on a roll.

The chemistry between Jason and Ben is palpable and when Ben says he is open to new possibilities, I was giddy. I adored that this book really focused on Ben, Jason and Maggie being together. In a way, it lets you know that they are what are important no matter what, that this trio, this chance meeting of three people is the focus, as it should be. Not saying there aren’t great side characters who you first loathe and then end up liking, but the focus was on the romance of this meant to be family.

Now, there is action that had my heart skipping beats and times where I so wanted Ben and Jason to stay put and not move but keep going because Maggie was all that mattered. Yes, something happens to Maggie and extreme situations can make or break people and this began to bring Jason and Ben together. Their first kiss was heartbreaking to me and their first time was nothing short of hot and a bit kinky but I loved that Jason put himself in Ben’s hands with complete trust.

But, that guilt is a tough one for Jason to kick and when his past shows up, he does what he knows and runs from Ben. The separation was painful and I ached for Ben and Jason to open up to one another. I can say that the reunion was amazing. Maggie’s reaction to her dad and Ben was so grown up but if fit her character and I really like that we got a few POV’s from her in the story as well.

I was told a few times that the epilogue would be something I would love and OMG was it ever. It was so damn beautiful that I openly wept tears of joy at my desk as I read it. That is how you write an epilogue folks. Goodness.

Road to the Sun was a stunningly tale of finding love when you thought your chance would never come. It’s a story of trust, of finding yourself and following your heart, even when it seems impossible. It’s a story that gave me hope, made me fall in love so much that my cup runneth over.

Keira Andrews has delivered another stellar read that I cannot recommend enough. Trust me, you need this book in your life.

A review copy was provided.

Review: The Castaway Prince by Isabelle Adler

Ostracized by his family for his sexual identity, Prince Stephan is forced to flee his homeland before his older brother ascends the throne.

Stephan has been drawn to feminine things for as long as he can remember, so when the dire need for secrecy arises, he seizes the chance to don the perfect disguise. With the help of his loyal servant, Stephan picks his way through hostile territory, hiding his identity by posing as a woman. His only hope for asylum lies with the man who had been his friend and lover three years ago. But when that man also happens to be the crown prince of a rival country, things are a bit more complicated.

With war looming on the horizon, the danger of discovery grows by the moment. With all odds stacked against him, will Stephan find a safe place where he can be his true self, or is he doomed to remain a castaway?

I can't even believe I'm about to say this with the current state of my TBR but I wish this were longer. This was a little amuse-bouche that left me wanting more.

"The Castaway Prince" is a fantasy story involving Stephan, prince of Seveihar and his manservant, Warren. Stephan has fled his homeland with Warren and they are seeking asylum in Esnia. He had a brief affair with Prince Arlen of Esnia a few years ago and is hoping that will work to his advantage and curry favor with him. However their tryst precipitated a rift between the kingdoms that is reaching a boiling point and Stephan's brother is a bit of a warmonger.

For such a short story there's a decent amount of worldbuilding and I thoroughly enjoyed Adler's writing style. Very quickly she established a very distinct atmosphere with her language usage that left me wanting more. Stephan's character was also relatively well developed with a smattering of backstory.

Stephan is androgynous, likes to dress as a female and can easily pass as such. 

It doesn't seem like his family abused him but rather ignored him which is a hell all its own. He does at one point contemplate suicide so if you're easily triggered, you may want to exercise caution when reading this.

My affinity for androgyny and crossdressing is what drew me to this story in the first place and I really liked Warren's acceptance of Stephan without censure. They have good banter even with the class difference, but I wish their camaraderie had more time to grow and stretch its wings, more together on page time would've gone a long way in convincing me of their HEA. As it stands, the ending felt rushed and unnatural, but it was sweet and I liked that quite a lot.

It goes without saying that I'd read a follow up to this story but I'd also read something else by this author, though I'd probably aim for something longer.

Recommend to fantasy fans who are looking for a quick and sweet diversion.

A review copy was provided.

Release Blitz + Giveaway: Something Like the Real (Song Out #4) by Hanna Dare

Welcome Hanna Dare and Signal Boost Promotions to the clubhouse! Something Like the Real (Sing Out #4) is out! And the gracious author is making sure everyone's a winner - there is a download link below to get a free copy of Life in a Nowhere Town (Sing Out #1) - free until June 10th!

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK


Length: 60,000 words


Cover Design: Natasha Snow


Sing Out Series


Life In A Nowhere Town (Book #1) (See Below)
California Schemin' (Book #2) Amazon US | Amazon UK
The Man Who Told The World (Book #3) Amazon US | Amazon UK

Blurb

He always has a plan…

Jesse Preston is exactly where he always wanted to be: in LA, recording an album. So why does he feel like he’s about to lose everything? One thing he’s sure of is that he needs to keep his bisexuality hidden… but he never planned on falling for someone. Not just anyone—a TV star who’s one half of a famous, and straight, celebrity couple.

One kiss can change everything…

Grayson Adler is used to pretending. He’s an actor after all. So when he’s asked to keep his break-up with his troubled co-star a secret he has no problem playing along. He also has no problem showing Jesse around LA. Grayson likes spending time with him, likes making him laugh, likes him more than he’d ever expected. But they’re just friends, right?

In a town where everybody’s got secrets, how can they be sure of what’s real?

This novel can be read as a standalone. It’s complete at 60,000 words, with no cliffhanger and no cheating. It does feature ping-pong, hats, dance breaks, and explicit scenes between adult men.

Excerpt

Grayson came to stand close and Jesse had to take a sudden intake of air as the force of Grayson's gaze locked on. His eyes—brown, or this close, revealed to be hazel and shot through with green-gold streaks—were on Jesse's and nothing could make him look away.

"I shouldn't have left things like that. I shouldn't have left."

"It's okay," Jesse started to say, but Grayson kept going.

"No. You need to know something. I don't have a girlfriend. I mean, I did, but Annabel and I broke up months ago. I'm supposed to keep it quiet so she doesn't have to deal with the press, and so the studio can keep promoting us as a couple on and off the show. Annabel's fragile right now so I don't mind it being a secret… except I don't like lying to you. I really don't like it. And I think I've been doing it a lot because you weren't wrong before. I was hitting on you, I just didn't realize it. This is stupid because twenty-four is too old to be having a sudden sexual awakening—except thinking back, maybe I've always been looking at guys along with girls? I just thought it was a professional interest in studying their bodies. And I did play the love interest of a boy on a family cable drama when I was sixteen. I really liked our kissing scenes, but I was going through a Method phase at the time, so I thought it was about inhabiting the character. My role was only a three-episode arc though, and I had a girlfriend, so I never really got to explore what it might mean—"

Jesse realized that Grayson showed no signs of slowing down or even taking a breath, so he did the most obvious thing and kissed him.

Author Bio

A writer-for-hire for more than ten years, Hanna Dare now writes what she loves to read: well-written, character-driven stories of men exploring their identities and discovering their own unique kind of happily ever afters… usually through sexytimes.

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You can download Life In A Nowhere Town (Sing Out #1) for FREE until Saturday June 10 HERE!

Hosted By Signal Boost Promotions

Guest Review: Turn Up the Heat by Jane Davitt & Alexa Snow

First impressions fool recently dumped Rory into thinking Shannon's a walk on the wild side and the perfect way to get over a failed relationship. Shannon's not about to argue. Not when Rory coaxes him into some of the hottest, roughest sex of his life. But who is Rory falling in love with? A fantasy lover or the real man?

Fighting to keep Rory happy, longing for romance as well as the steamy sessions that leave them bruised and breathless, Shannon's got a lot on his plate even before family and friends complicate matters further.

There's only one solution. Turn up the heat, and hope it doesn't burn their relationship to the ground.

Reviewer: Lost in a Book

Holy kinkfest Batman!! This book was like Wheel of Fortune, kink style. Every spin will land you a prize kink with a…happy ending. *wink wink* Unless you’re into delayed gratification, then this is one for you too. We had spanking, pain, dirty talk, delayed gratification, dirty talk, humiliation, role playing, dirty talk, restraint, thrill of being caught, and being used to name a few of the prizes that were available to Rory and Shannon.

The sex was hot, how could it not be with that much kink to choose from? There wasn’t even a hint of vanilla. Unless you count that one time they cuddled and went to sleep? *shrug* There was a moment when a rubber glove came out that I thought my hard limit was about to approach… False alarm, not an ounce of crisco in sight; they just needed to do a cavity search. The dirty talk. Ohhhh the dirty talk… Shannon was on his A game with them words he speaks.

Shannon meets Rory when he responds to an ad to buy a motorcycle. When Shannon comes back a few days later to test drive it… he ends up test driving more than the motorcycle.

“Promises, promises. I don’t want words, I want action. You drive that bike like you know what you’re doing, but how do you fuck?”

This was supposed to be a one and done type situation. However, Shannon and Rory couldn’t stop thinking about the mind-blowing sex they had and decided a repeat was needed. There wasn’t much outside of sex for most of the book. We know that Rory is a dietitian and Shannon works construction and sometimes a bouncer on weekends. The bulk of the story is built around their sex-life and Rory’s brother, Jude.

Jude has been in a lot of trouble throughout his life and apparently Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is 100% to blame for why Jude can’t make the right choices and function as an adult. Rory is always the one to bail Jude out; literally. This dynamic between the brothers ruined Rory’s relationships with his previous boyfriends and puts a strain on the relationship with his friends and parents. They all feel that he is enabling Jude’s behavior. This strain continues until Shannon comes along and approaches Jude differently than the others by holding him accountable and setting limits. Shannon’s approach to Jude brings him closer to Rory.

A big issue for the MCs in this book was their sexual compatibility. Rory has a strong desire for kink but neither Rory or Shannon have indulged in anything other than vanilla before.

“Who knew desire this overwhelming existed? Separate from love or any real knowledge of the man about to fuck him, his need for rough handling took him over, free from captivity at last, given full rein for the first time.”

This “full rein” puts a chasm in their relationship. Rory is constantly looking for things to turn up the heat and Shannon indulges but then kicks himself for going along with it. Shannon is insecure throughout on his purpose in their relationship

“Being used for sex sounded great in theory. In practice, it was doing a number on his self-esteem.”
“I get him off, fulfill every jerk-off fantasy he dreams up. Is that making him happy? For now, sure, but long-term?”

A huge issue with both men is their lack of communication skills. Neither are able to do what is necessary to further their relationship. There isn’t a discussion on limits or lines and Rory steps right over it.

“Tell me, Doc, if you knew I was as vanilla as the image you project, if my dick was five inches not nine, would you still be interested in me? Because I don’t know who you think you’re dating, but it isn’t the man I see in the mirror. It isn’t me. And you were too busy getting your rocks off to notice I was uncomfortable.”
“I knew it wouldn’t last, but I wanted as much of you as I could get. Should’ve known it was a mistake. Can’t build on sand and expect it to hold up when the tide comes in.”

The remainder of the book brings us on a journey of discovery and limits for Rory and Shannon. They both have to figure out what they want in a relationship and the kink limits they are comfortable with.

This book was alright. The kink and last 25% moved it to 3 stars. The emotional connection was lacking for 75% of the book. I didn’t understand the point of their relationship outside of sex for most of it. It was almost as if they could walk away, no biggie. The remaining 25% really put a spotlight on the missing pieces. I finally got their relationship at the end and I wish that it was more developed throughout. There were some WTF moments that left me shaking my head. You’ll know when you get there. Especially around 74%. These WTF moments were meant to serve as a catalyst to further their relationship but instead really showed the lack of emotional connection.

Speaking of WTF…Let’s talk about the cover? Seriously? I'm a huge fan of beards and facial hair but this bearded guy makes me think he should be driving a creepy white van with candy in his pocket. I know, I know… Don’t judge a book blah blah blah. I judge and that cover doesn’t make me think Turn up the Heat.

Also speaking of WTF, this book had 2 big jumps in time without indication. These jumps left a lot of questions as to how they ended up where they did. One moment it was a hook up and the next they are having dinner with the friends. *confused* The secondary characters were funny and it seems that the next book has been set up nicely with Dex and Elliott.

I didn’t hate this. It was alright and had some enjoyable moments. If the relationship development improves (maybe expand instead of having a time lapse), this could be a decent read and then I would recommend it. If you like dirty talk, I’d recommend it even if their relationship development stays the same. *hawwwwwt*