Review: Hot Air: A Villainous Love Story by T.J. Land

Bluster is the most incompetent supervillain around. He’s a klutz. He’s forgetful. His schemes never work. He never remembers to plan his escape, which doesn’t matter given that most superheroes don’t even bother sending him to prison anymore. Hardly anyone takes him seriously. That’s why he decided to retire a while ago. It had nothing to do with the fact that his handsome nemesis, Judge Justice, was forced to hand in his superhero license after finally breaking one too many rules. And Bluster’s decision to give up his retirement on the same day Judge Justice gets his license back is purely coincidental.

Judge Justice is the toughest superhero around. He’s edgy. He’s grim. He wears a lot of leather. As far as he’s concerned, supervillains are criminals, nothing more and nothing less. They deserve everything that’s coming to them. Sure, maybe he’s got a reputation for being harsh. So what? His methods work. When you’re dealing with a town full of caped crooks, no amount of force is excessive…except maybe when it comes to Bluster. That guy’s hopeless. It’s not that the Judge has a soft spot for him, but anyone can see that Bluster’s a bigger threat to himself than to the city. Which isn’t to say the Judge isn’t outraged when Bluster comes out of retirement the same day he gets his license back. He’s furious. Not even a tiny bit thrilled, because he’s not one of those imbeciles who actually likes his nemesis. He’s a professional. That’s why, when the Judge learns that Bluster’s in danger, he immediately appoints himself his guardian. After all, it’s a hero’s duty to protect the weak.

Bluster, however, has other ideas… 

Adorably silly...
Utterly ridiculous...
Fabulously funny...

...and just flat out fun.

Judge Justice, the meanest superhero in town, is called back to action after a year of being suspended for getting a bit too friendly with his fists.  Bluster, his archnemesis who went into retirement the day Justice was suspended, can't let the chance of him finding a new nemesis ever happen so he dons his purple supervillain suit and heads back into action as well. 

I had a ball reading this story!  The over-the-top plot and the snarky banter were just the tip of the iceberg.  While the storyline is intriguing enough to have caught my attention, it was the characters and their interactions with each other that really carried the story.  From the surface, this story looks to be just a fun romp filled with shenanigans and ridiculousness but on a closer look you find an amazing amount of depth to the characters.

While I loved Judge Justice and all his curmudgeonly ways, always growling and sniping at everyone, I adored Bluster.  Bluster is my spirit animal.  He's older, out of shape, has a squinty eye and a penchant for getting himself into the most ridiculous situations.  He can't spell to save his life and he talks to anything.  Seriously.  Cats, birds, zucchini... he can carry on a one-sided conversation like nobody's business.  His failure rate is exponential.  But does that keep him down?  No!  He just picks himself back up and charges right back into the fray.  He's pretty dang fearless.  He's also a bit of a conundrum.  He seems innocent and naive one minute and then wily and sharp-witted the next.

Keeping the pout going full throttle, he raised a thumb to his mouth and nibbled on the nail's edge, eyes flickering to the Leech and away again.  It was an old, favorite move of his, designed to send out the unambiguous message, 'Won't you heal my broken heart with your dick?'

My favorite moments by far are when the Judge and Bluster interact with each other.  Oh, the snark!  The banter!  I laughed so hard and so much while reading this I actually got a stitch in my side.  I could read their conversations for days and never tire of them.

"Don't worry, I can do this."  "The problem is that you've got a history of thinking you can do shit that you demonstrably cannot do.  Remember that time you tried to steal an armored truck?"  "That's not fair.  I was a kid then."  "You were thirty."

This was my first TJ Land story but I guarantee it won't be my last.  This was silly.  It was fun.  It was just what I needed to pull me out of the slump I was in.  I had a blast reading this.  I recommend this to those who like a bit of the ridiculous from time to time.  If you're a lover of shenanigans, you can't go wrong with this charming little tale.

Review: A Worthy Man (The Men of Halfway House #5) by Jaime Reese

Vannguard Shaw has spent the last ten years serving a life sentence and adjusting to the ache of solitude. He accepts his fate, a sacrifice for the only man he ever loved and the one person who saw beyond his rough edges.

Drayton grew up with a trust fund and pre-planned future, but an unexpected encounter one night forces him to abandon everything and start from scratch. He is now a self-made man and developer of one of the most sought after electric exotic automobiles in the world with a fortune greater than that of his birthright. Yet, he’d surrender it all—again—for the only man who’s still ever-present in his heart.

After a decade and entirely too much distance between them, Vann is suddenly released back into a world that has been nothing but cruel. Drayton never lost hope they would once again reunite and pick up where they left off, but Vann’s stubborn nature and repeated encounters with a heartbreaking world prove to be a challenge.

Vann needs to tap into his fighting spirit’s reservoir of strength and hope life doesn’t punish him for taking a chance. Only then will he realize his own value and feel worthy enough to finally have Drayton’s heart. And their chance at forever.

Damn, but every book in this series is such an emotional ride! A Worthy Man is right up there, but I do think this one is even more relationship focused (which sounds weird to say with this series, I know) making it even more romantic to read. The setup is unique in that the two MC’s, Vann and Drayton have known one another since their teens and have been in love since about that same time. And they don’t have that, “Oh aren’t they perfect for each other, how sweet” kind of love, they have that soul deep, eternal kind of love that’s just plain, more.

Vann and Drayton came from completely different backgrounds. Drayton grew up with all the privileges (at least on paper) and Vann had to scrape by just for the necessities. Both had shitty parents in common and both sides were a complete waste of carbon so the boys were on their own early in their lives. Drayton was a genius with few social skills so he spent a lot of time avoiding bullies and being alone. Vann was the bad boy constantly sporting black eyes and bruises that weren’t from fights with other kids, but at the hands of his worthless father. Vann stepped in one day to defend Drayton and the rest was history. They had their “outcast” status in common and they were the kind of opposites who attract and complement, the author did such a good job of showing me the connection between the characters from their teen years on through to adulthood.

Shit got real in Dray’s house one night and neither of the boys was at fault, they were the victims, but they paid the price for the assholery of the very people who were supposed to protect them above all else. Not everyone is meant to be a parent that is for damn sure. Vann goes down for protecting Dray and the two are separated for ten years as Vann serves his prison sentence. While Vann is on the inside the story is told in flashbacks and dual POV and it sets up the time that these two come back together perfectly. There is no way their connection would have read so strong and real without it. It made me so anxious for their reunion and I felt the excitement and tension as the day for Vann’s release came closer.

There are so many “moments” that you just have to read for the first time to be able to wallow in the love properly. I highlighted the hell out of the book, but when I went back to pick a quote or ten I couldn’t do it. I loved reading them the first time and I don’t want them to lose their impact for you. So instead of details I’m going to ramble on about my feelings and how much I loved all the love. 

When Vann gets released the two have SO many things to talk about, to clear up, to reconfirm and this is where the dual POV and flashbacks paid off hard. Without knowing what was going on in their brains, the connection wouldn’t have been a given to the reader and instead of just loving the evolution of their relationship there would have been a lot of wasted time on confuzzled feelings all around. There were enough road blocks and speed bumps for these guys on their way to infinity, they needed each other unconditionally and the focus stayed on their journey instead of any manufactured miscommunication.

As the story progressed and Vann made it through one milestone after another, he’d take a couple steps forward and one step back, but every one of them opened gave the two of them another “moment”. Vann found out more and more about how much faith and belief Dray had in him and it never wavered once. That’s not something that someone with Vann’s background and level of self-esteem believes with a couple of sentences, but Dray had all the history, all the magic words and the perfect sense of timing for Vann to be able to receive all of Dray’s love and believe every word.

Dray had locked himself in his ivory tower of equations while Vann was away. He worked tirelessly for Vann’s release and to build the company that brought their two strengths together. The company wasn’t just about business, it was an investment into their future based on their past. I loved all the ways Dray made sure Vann was included, even though he was inaccessible. But, while Dray built his empire he reverted back to his outcast ways and missed out on years of connections with other people. Vann was his confidence and his catalyst to come out of his shell and it was really very sweet reading about these two egging each other on to overcome their discomforts. These two were more than just epic romantic declarations, they were full of snark and inside jokes with one another and reading about them letting their guards down gave me a glimpse into their HEA.

A Worthy Man can be read as a standalone and while you don’t need to read the rest of the series in order to dive into this installment, you should because some of my favorite characters made appearances.

HI JULIAN!!!! 

*waves maniacally*

I cannot wait for the next installment, which is greedy as hell considering I just finished this one, but I do feel another reread of A Better Man coming on. It happens every time Julian makes an appearance for me. I am so anxious to know what is coming next though. We met some new characters in A Worthy Man and I would love to have Vann and Dray make their HEA appearance in the next book. I have a serious soft spot for Ben, one of the residents of the halfway house. He didn’t have a ton of page time, but he was pretty impactful, so more of him would be most welcome, but hell, I’ll take any of Jaime’s characters and their stories.

**a copy of this story was provided for an honest review**

Review: Cask Strength (Agents Irish and Whiskey #2) by Layla Reyne

Professionally, the FBI team of Aidan "Irish" Talley and Jameson "Whiskey" Walker is as good as it gets, closing cases faster than any team at the Bureau. Personally, it’s a different story. Aidan’s feelings for Jamie scare the hell out of him: he won’t risk losing another love no matter how heart-tripping the intimacy between them. And loss is a grim reality with the terrorist Renaud still on their trail, leaving a pile of bodies in his wake.

Going undercover on a new case gets them out of town and off the killer's radar. They're assigned to investigate an identity theft ring involving a college basketball team in Jamie's home state, where Jamie's past makes him perfect for the role of coach. But returning to the court brings more than old memories.

As secrets and shocking betrayals abound, none may be more dangerous than the one Jamie’s been keeping: a secret about the death of Aidan’s husband that could blow his partner's world apart and destroy forever the fragile bonds of trust and love building between them.

We start five months after Single Malt ended, with our FBI agents moving casually into a romantic relationship and firmly into their professional partnership. On Jamie’s end, he is all in no matter what he promised to Aidan about keeping it casual between them because Jamie has been so gone for Aidan long before anything physical happened between them. He knows Aidan was a man whore before his marriage to Gabe and half listened to Aidan’s points on not being serious – blah blah blah - but Jamie is his own man and he’ll do what he wants as long as he keeps it to himself. There are a few other things he is keeping to himself as well, like knowing the connection between Gabe, Tom and Renaud and not telling Aidan about it nor that Mel has him digging deeper into the accident and all that it involves.

There’s no substitute for the real thing.

I have to say that when I first learned about the men Aidan was seeing on the side I saw red and not just the natural color of Aidan’s hair. I was pissed off but then I turned the page and got Aidan’s POV and settled down. Self-preservation is the solace of one's own mind and though you don’t agree, you can’t pass judgment because it’s each person’s own validity. Aidan is so terrified to lose Jamie that he tries to keep him at arm's-length by “dating” copycats of Jamie and swearing there is no feelings between them. It’s a dick move but when Jamie calls him out on it, we do get some delicious UST that unfortunately leads to more dick moves and then Mel giving them a case back in Jamie’s home town with them undercover and an Au Naturale Aidan as Ian… *swoon* Call him what you want, Agent Irish is edible as his natural ginger self.

My brain is a jumbled mess right now as I try to process everything we have learned. Not only about the accident that killed Gabe and Tom but about all this crap in Charlotte with basketball and people wanting a piece of both Jamie and Aidan that they will stop at nothing to get it. The undercover case was nothing less than fascinating and full of informational detail that doesn’t weigh the reader down. It was easy to follow, the betting etc. and fueled every aspect of the story line. As with the first book, this is full of cinematic action and swoon worthy moments along with intense passionate games of er, um pool? Yeah, we will call it games of pool and how scorching the game of billiards can be, or at least just the use of the table.

Basketball. The Court. The Game.

It was great to see Jamie in his roots with basketball even though it was undercover. We get a lot of him as the FBI Agent and hacker, but I loved seeing how much his first love meant to him in real time. We know why he left the game and that he has thrived in his life as an FBI Agent but he lived and breathed basketball for so long that is also suffocated his inability to be out with his sexual orientation. Of course, being home brings up drama that is unavoidable but did it ever make for some intense moments between Jamie and Aidan that had me melting. I mean, jealousy can be a good thing when its labors bring about a change.

Again I have to bring in the title of this book. I love that the author is sticking to the whiskey themed titles and that Cask Strength, points at the production in whiskey straight from the barrel and its maturity. Ha! Maturity. I think in this case we can either talk about Aidan being older but older doesn’t always mean better or for that matter Jamie if we talk about whiskey maturing and losing some of its potency, known as the angel’s share. We learn a lot about Jamie when we go home with him undercover as himself to catch the insiders betting on basketball and stealing identifies. Aidan is of the assumption that his younger lover is so damn pure because Aidan thinks he is so damn tainted and yet learns that his own Whiskey at cask strength has a burn that overpowers the subtlety of his own flavors. Hmm… Aidan, be careful that scent you like to inhale so much from Jamie’s neck doesn’t burn your nose hairs. Kay?

Another person in his inner circle who’d betrayed him. Another person at risk.

Goodness. As Jamie, Danny and Mel work the case behind Aidan’s back more secrets come out of the closet like a needed yard sale of a hoarder. It was crazy how many ties to Aidan all of this has and how Jamie will tell him. The manner of which Aidan goes about working the case, how he goes about lying to his lover, his partner and the man he loves leads us to an heart stopping conclusion and cliffhanger to the story. Seriously, I yelled at the end and contemplated how long my resolve would take to break before I ran to request the last book because OMG! That end was amazing.

So, declarations have been exchanged and promises have been made but when Jamie comes clean with Aidan with the whole story about Gabe etc., he may need his own stock of cask strength liquor to drown out the memory of what could have been. OR, will this new love between partners and lovers be strong enough to not be diluted. Only two fingers of the finest Barrel Proof will tell for sure.

Don't miss the Cask Strength blog tour HERE!

Giveaway + Blog Tour: Cask Strength (Agents Irish and Whiskey, #2) by Layla Reyne

We're happy to be part of the Cask Strength blog tour today. Be sure to enter for your chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card below! 4 lucky winners will be chosen! Good luck!

Cask Strength Release Celebration!

As FBI agents Aidan “Irish” Talley and Jameson “Whiskey” Walker struggle to separate their professional and personal relationships, they’re sent undercover—as sports agent and basketball coach—on an identity-theft case in which all their secrets are ripe for exposure. “Agents Irish and Whiskey” is perfect for fans of the “Tough Love” series by HelenKay Dimon and the “Cut & Run” series by Abigail Roux and Madeleine Urban.

“The second book in the Agents Irish and Whiskey series is a romp of an M/M romantic suspense.”
—RT Book Reviews

CASK STRENGTH is now on sale! Download or add it to your TBR pile on Goodreads! Then keep reading to get a sneak peek at CASK STRENGTH and to enter the giveaway for four (4) $25 Amazon gift cards!

Synopsis:

The heart’s a resilient beast…

Professionally, the FBI team of Aidan "Irish" Talley and Jameson "Whiskey" Walker is as good as it gets, closing cases faster than any team at the Bureau. Personally, it's a different story. Aidan's feelings for Jamie scare the hell out of him: he won't risk losing another love no matter how heart-tripping the intimacy between them. And loss is a grim reality with the terrorist Renaud still on their trail, leaving a pile of bodies in his wake.

Going undercover on a new case gets them out of town and off the killer's radar. They're assigned to investigate an identity theft ring involving a college basketball team in Jamie's home state, where Jamie's past makes him perfect for the role of coach. But returning to the court brings more than old memories.

As secrets and shocking betrayals abound, none may be more dangerous than the one Jamie's been keeping: a secret about the death of Aidan's husband that could blow his partner's world apart and destroy forever the fragile bonds of trust and love building between them.

Find out more at: Carina Press | Amazon | Google Play | Kobo | iTunes | B&N | Goodreads

Title: CASK STRENGTH

Author: Layla Reyne

Release Date: May 1, 2017

Publisher: Carina Press

Series: Agents Irish & Whiskey

Genres: M/M Romantic Suspense

Word Count: 61,000

Format: Digital

ISBN: 9781488024399

Excerpt from CASK STRENGTH

Copyright © 2017 Layla Reyne

“I know our schedule’s fucked, but that face of yours is awfully grim.”

Startling at the full-blast Irish accent, Jamie’s head shot up and the phone slipped from his fingers, clattering to the ground. Pick it up, some instinct ordered, but he was too busy losing the rest of his fucking mind. The veneer of calm shattered and any hope of patience took a flying leap out the window.

Because standing in front of him was his stylishly dressed partner, a messenger bag over one shoulder, a coat tossed over the other, and silver-rimmed aviators nestled in waves of auburn hair. More times than he could count, Jamie had imagined Aidan with his natural hair color, and damn if the reality didn’t surpass each and every one of his fantasies.

Mouth dry, heart racing, cheeks burning, Jamie’s fingers twitched with the urge to weave through the long red strands. Reaching down instead, he grabbed his phone, held it between his palms, and wedged his clasped hands between his knees, forestalling his impulse. He tried to force out a “hello,” but his brain refused to cooperate, all the blood in his body having raced south where his jeans became painfully tight.

Fuck.                   

 

He was gone. So far gone. Past casual, past a crush, past simple attraction.

This was Aidan, sans disguises, and Jamie wanted him more than he’d ever wanted anything.

“Is it that bad a dye job?” Aidan asked, interrupting his mental breakdown.

“Ai—” he started, only to be corrected with a brogue-laced, “Ian.”

Jamie blinked, reminded that this was a disguise. It sure as hell didn’t feel like one. “I wasn’t expecting this.” His eyes raked over Aidan again, taking it all in. Dressed in jeans and a navy V-neck sweater, the dark blues set off his pale skin, the freckles, his autumn eyes, that hair…

“Fuck,” he muttered out loud.

Aidan shifted on his feet in front of him. “I said I was making a few more changes.”

“Yeah, but this—” he spread his arms wide, the motion totally inadequate “—is more than a fucking few.”

Their gazes locked, heat sparking. “Problem, Jamie?” Aidan’s eyes flickered down to the very obvious problem.

“You gotta stop that.”

He dropped his messenger bag and shrugged the coat off his shoulder. “Stop what?”

“Saying my name in that accent.”

“Mr. Walker, then,” he said with a smirk.

Way too smooth.

Jamie propped his elbows on this knees and covered his face with his hands. “God no,” he groaned. “Not that either.”

Aidan laughed as the buzzer went off on the conveyor behind them.

Leather smacked the backs of Jamie’s hands, and he snagged Aidan’s coat before it hit the ground.

Leather?

“Cover that up,” Aidan said, eyeing his crotch. “And get yourself together. Debrief in the car.” Turning, he headed for the spinning luggage carousel, giving Jamie a prime view of his sinfully fitted jeans.

Get himself together…

Yeah, right.

Other books in the Agents Irish & Whiskey series

SINGLE MALT

Available Now: Carina Press | Amazon | Google Play | Kobo | iTunes | B&N| Goodreads

"Sexy, smart and suspenseful - this book has it all."—HelenKay Dimon, author of MR. & MR. SMITH

"SINGLE MALT is full of explosive chemistry, captivating characters, and edge-of-your-seat suspense. A must read for any romantic suspense fan!"—Megan Erickson, USA Today Bestselling Author

BARREL PROOF

On Sale August 7, 2017: Carina Press | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iTunes | Google Play | Goodreads

About Layla Reyne:

2016 RWA® Golden Heart® Finalist, Layla Reyne, was raised in North Carolina and now calls San Francisco home. She enjoys weaving her bi-coastal experiences into her stories, along with adrenaline fueled suspense and heart pounding romance. When she’s not writing stories to excite her readers, she downloads too many books, watches too much television, and cooks too much food with her scientist husband, much to the delight of their smushed-face, leftover-loving dogs.

Connect with Layla: Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads

Spread the news about CASK STRENGTH with a GIVEAWAY!

Grand Prize: Four (4) lucky winners will receive a $25 Amazon gift card!

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Be sure to check out our review of Cask Strength HERE!

Review: Trust Trade (Gem City Grit #1) by Ki Brightly

Life hasn’t been good to Jeb Birchman. When he attempted to escape his abusive, zealot father, he found himself on the streets, making a living the only way he knew how, the victim of more violent men—one of whom orchestrates a series of vicious attacks that leave Jeb deaf. Now that he’s aged beyond his latest client’s interest, Jeb knows he needs to escape his risky lifestyle before it’s too late. Seeing one last chance for himself, he earns a GED and enrolls in college.

Freddy Williams enjoys a life that couldn’t be more different from what Jeb has survived. He loves sports, being a personal trainer, and hanging out with friends. The son of deaf parents, Freddy is an outspoken advocate of the Deaf community and works as an interpreter at his college. When he meets Jeb at the bookstore, he’s struck by how attractive he is, and as they get to know each other, he finds Jeb’s good heart just as appealing. By the time he learns of Jeb’s past, it’s only a few steps behind them, and Freddy must make a choice between school and his familiar routine and protecting the man he’s falling in love with.

The violence in the beginning of this story is pretty distressing, and I just want to put a warning out there that this could be a trigger for abuse survivors. Especially those who have survived but live with a disability as a result of violence against them. Be in a good place before you pick this up, and have someone on call. It is a short scene, but it doesn’t hold anything back, so tread with care.

Jeb has had a pretty rough ride in life, but he’s doing okay, and he’s getting by, wanting to do something with his life, other than sell himself, so he’s off to college. Freddie is a student at the same college, and is also an interpreter of ASL as a result of having two deaf parents.
They meet in the on campus bookstore and Freddie is infatuated, while Jeb is wary but hopeful that he has made a friend.

There were a fair few issues with this story, surrounding Freddie’s privilege and judgment of Jeb’s past. I got quite icked out by his arrogance and selfishness in a situation where Jeb was being completely open with him about it. Freddie made the entire thing about himself, and it was just gross. I’m trying to put it down to the characters being late teen/early twenties but to be honest, I like my fiction to rise above how crappy and self absorbed people can be in real life. I just didn’t feel that Freddie was paying attention to Jeb, or considering life from his point of view enough to move beyond himself. Some of the scenes were a bit ablist to me. Freddie seemed to be trying to save the day, rather than support Jeb in his own advocacy. Again, I’m putting this down to the character age, but again, I wanted this to transcend the crappy reality most people with a disability live with and it just didn’t.

Jeb on the other hand really did start to stand up for himself, and I enjoyed that much more. While crap was happening around him, he handled it with as much grace as he possibly could, holding his shit together and forging plans for himself as the situations arose.

Jeb won me over with his practical look at how life could be if he put the effort in. He wanted more, and I wanted him to get it. I honestly could have enjoyed a story just about Jeb, with no Freddie in it to muddy the waters.

While I took issue with Freddie, I still enjoyed this story, and how it developed. I’m fully in Jeb’s corner and ensuring that his life turns out great. I was invested in his story, invested in his emotional well being, and even invested in his relationship with Freddie, because it’s what Jeb wanted. There were some surprises I wasn’t really expecting, and maybe were not so realistic, but I thought it took the story in a good direction overall, and again, Jeb was looking to be practical and functional to ensure everything worked out okay.

I’m not sure I could read another Jeb and Freddie follow up without there being some major adjustments in Freddie’s worldview, but if it were an older and wiser version of Freddie, whom didn’t want to overshadow Jeb and hold him back, I think I could enjoy it.

I’m glad the author tried this. Writing stories with main characters with disabilities is tough. There are a lot of expectations, and subtle nuances to fighting ableism, and so for the effort, I thank the author. I think with a bit more critical thought and some deeper research this story may have turned out better for me.

A review copy was provided for an honest opinion

Find on Dreamspinner Press or Goodreads!

Blog Tour + Giveaway: The Simplicity of Being Normal by James Stryker

James Stryker and IndiGo Marketing visits the blog today with The Simplicity of Being Normal blog tour! Learn more about his YA book and the author in his interview. Don't miss the NineStar eBook giveaway--winner's choice!

Title:  The Simplicity of Being Normal

Author: James Stryker

Publisher:  NineStar Press

Release Date: May 8, 2017

Heat Level: 1 - No Sex

Pairing: No Romance

Length: 87500

Genre: Contemporary, YA, transgender, transvestite, transphobia, bullying, child neglect, PTSD, mental illness, Mormonism

Add to Goodreads

Synopsis

Sam has his life after graduation figured out. Until then he has to deal with being terrorized for expressing his gender identity. His pleas for help have been ignored by the principal and most of the staff, and his time is spent moving quickly between classrooms and anticipating the freedom that will come with leaving high school behind.

Teacher Todd Keegan, at first, wonders if Amanda is on drugs and if he's underestimated her maturity. Between enabling his traumatized, dependent sister and hiding secrets of his own, Todd has no desire to waste time on a junkie teenager, but this one intrigues him. When Amanda shows up in his classroom, bleeding from a head wound, he decides to investigate further.

In order to survive senior year, Sam must convince Mr. Keegan that he’s not a junkie teenager and decide if, unlike his family and school staff, this teacher can be trusted with the truth and become his only ally.

Excerpt

The Simplicity of Being Normal
James Stryker © 2017
All Rights Reserved

“Amanda Michelle! I won’t tolerate that mouth of yours a second longer! Get out!”

“Or what? You’ll hit me? Repeat performance sixteen years later. Go ahead!”

If there was one positive thing to be said of his mother, it was that she avoided violence. While her own mother had often resorted to physical punishment, Scarlet had never put a hand on Stevie. And she’d only hit Sam once, which was how she learned her lesson.

“Amanda was maybe one. Barely walking. I can’t remember what she did, but I hit her so hard that she flew across the room. That’s when I decided to keep my temper in check. I just send them away when I’m angry now.”

Scarlet told this story often when child discipline surfaced in adult conversation. She was proud of herself. Proud that it only took one incident of hitting a toddler with enough force to knock her across the room to realize that violence wasn’t a good idea. She never understood why she received strange looks when she finished this charming anecdote of her parental prowess.

Because you should be ashamed that you struck an innocent baby. That you hurt your child, Sam would think when Scarlet retold it and people gave him the confused looks he often received when his mother opened her mouth. You should want to bury that secret instead of continuing to get off on it more than a decade later. The last thing you should feel is pride.

But sometimes he’d rather have a slap to the face than the emotional abuse Scarlet dealt. Bruises healed. The damage from seventeen years of being blamed for every negative circumstance? The constant feeling of rejection? The thousands of times when something or someone else was of more importance than him? His father. Stevie. The boyfriends. Work. The fucking Golden Girls.

I’ll never get over it. Even when I’m free of you. Even when I’m free of Amanda. Sam stared Scarlet down and waited for her to respond. You’re a cancer to me. I’ll cut you out. But I’ll always have the scar.

“Get out, Amanda! Get out!”

“Oh, I’m going.” He lowered his voice and took a step into the hall. “But so should you. That’s all I came to tell you. You should check into a hotel for a few days. It’s not sanitary. And that’s not even my opinion—it’s the disaster crew’s recommendation. You could get sick.”

“This is my house, young lady. I won’t be told what to do by you or anyone else.”

It was the most below-the-belt thing he could be called, and his skin was smoldering. Sam didn’t believe he was capable of laying a hand to anyone, especially a woman. But he needed to leave now before he said something he’d regret. Like yelling in her face at the top of his lungs. Like using every profane word he could think of until her ears bled. Like divulging his secret when she had some power over him.

“Well, I’m not staying here.”

“As long as it’s out of my sight, I don’t care where you go.” She’d turned away from him again. “But Stevie and I are staying here. I’m not paying for a hotel room because the basement is dirty.”

“You know what else lives in their own shit? Pigs. It’s too bad Gary’s condo doesn’t allow farm animals, or you could stay with him.”

Scarlet spun around and slammed the door in his face without another word.

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Author Interview

1. Have you written any books that aren’t published or available?

I’m currently working with my literary agent on editing a contemporary YA novel, The Better Man. This book offer something of a YA twist on Fight Club, and follows a young man with dissociative identity disorder fighting to maintain control of a shared body.

Otherwise I’m currently down to one last completed project yet to release – a dark literary fiction about Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’s infamous child catcher. When The Child Catcher finds a publishing home I hope it will help those affected by the devastating reality of male infertility.

2. What is the toughest criticism given to you as an author?

I used to have a huge problem with being too verbose. For example, my first draft of Assimilation was around 150K and I was convinced that every single word needed to be in there. I am again hugely indebted to my wife, Jayme, as she helped me develop an awareness of audience and a more critical eye to editing. It was tough to hear that some of the things that were important to me, or that I felt should be important to a reader, really didn’t matter in the scheme of the entire novel – entire scenes, sections, side lines were neither good or bad. Worse, they were just unnecessary and irrelevant. It took me a while to embrace her advice and whittle the monster down to less than 90K, when it got picked up by Pan Macmillan.

Now, my writing style has evolved to include her criticism in initial drafts – I haven’t had a first draft in excess of 90K since Assim. It was some of the best advice I’ve received; however, it’s also the most difficult criticism I have to pass on to other writers when I beta read. I understand how personal writing is, and it’s hard to hear that pieces of your work are weighing down/clouding the whole.  

3. How about the best compliment?

A couple of remarks in a review for my second release, Boy: A Journey really struck me. At the end of her review, Remmy Duchene commented about how the book gave her “a few more answers” into the thought process of a person contemplating suicide. It meant a lot to me that my book played a role in helping her continue to work through a personal loss. Her final comments that “it feels like I am a better person for reading” encapsulates the reason I write. Without lecturing or being heavy-handed, I try to create characters and stories that are thought-provoking and put a different lens to tough situations. Knowing that I made a difference to someone validates the hours, effort, and emotion I pour into my books.  

4. Do you write full-time or part-time?

When I’m working on a new idea or editing, I’ll write more than full-time – upwards of 12-14 hours a day, if possible. But I’m also not a person who must right every day. In-between the creative bursts I can go a week or so without typing more than a Tweet.  

5. How do you relax?

I have a little boy and four pugs that keep me pretty busy. I also enjoy dinking around with photoshop for my job or website, and crocheting.

6. Tell us about your future projects!

After finishing Simplicity, I initially thought I’d said all I wanted on the subjects of Mormonism and the transgender experience; however, another idea cropped up once I completed my fifth book. So, sometime in the future I’ll take readers again into an LGBT/LDS story – this time down the YA magical realism route.

Meet the Author

James Stryker is a central-Pennslvannia author who enjoys writing speculative and literary fiction. Themes in his work focus toward diversity in the LGBTQ spectrum and the voice of underrepresented or misunderstood viewpoints. His debut novel, Assimilation, was released in 2016.

James shares a residence with a pack of pugs, who continue to disagree about the ratio of treats to writing. Despite his day job and writing projects, James is never too busy to connect with readers or other writers. He welcomes you to check out his website, follow him on social media, or drop a line to his email.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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5/8 - My Fiction Nook

5/8 - Boy Meets Boy Reviews

5/9 - Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

5/10 - The Novel Approach

5/11 - Love Bytes Reviews

5/12 - Wicked Faerie's Tales and Reviews

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Audiobook Review: Dare to Hope (All Cocks #4) by T.M. Smith

Tristan is the second oldest of the Brennan brothers and the odd man out. Most of the Brennan men have careers in law enforcement, but as a psychiatrist, Tristan chooses to help people in a different way. Quiet and restrained, he is content to hover in the background of his more gregarious brothers. Then he meets two men, each broken and damaged from losses beyond their control.

Gabriel Simenson is mourning his lover's death. The random act of violence that took Gio's life has left everyone at All Cocks reeling. The only thing keeping Gabe from drowning in misery is the friendship he's forged with Micah, the newest model at All Cocks. He continues to struggle, and at the urging of his All Cocks family Gabe agrees to counseling with Tristan under one condition: Micah must go with him.

Micah Solo can relate to unbearable loss, having lost his leg and so much more in Iraq. The past two years he has been alone, adrift and vulnerable - the memories of war haunting his dreams, spilling over into his daily life. At All Cocks, Micah has found the acceptance he craves and the family he lost, but still he yearns for happiness and peace within.

The friendship between the three is instant, the mutual attraction evident. They circle each other, wanting more, yet unsure if it is truly possible. Is life the mundane reality they've each come to accept for themselves or do they dare to hope?

The All Cocks Stories is a series set within the world of online gay porn. Micah's PTSD is told in detail, including flashbacks to his time in Iraq.

Listening Length: 6 hours and 13 minutes
Narrator: Joel Leslie

Reviewer: Shee Reader

This is book 4 in the All Cocks series (set in the world of gay porn) but is easily accessible as a stand alone

The book tells the story of Tristan (the second oldest Brennan brother) who works as a psychiatrist. He professionally helps two lovely guys who work at All Cocks making porn movies. Gabriel is mourning the tragic and sudden loss of his lover in a shooting, and Micah is a wounded veteran who suffers PTSD from his time in Iraq where he and his troop were ambushed. Micah was the only survivor, losing his leg and suffering terrible PTSD flashbacks.

Micah and Gabe are best friends, and have developed a super close bond in the year they have lived together in the house where All Cocks is often filmed. Tristan has been helping Gabe, and Gabe encourages Micah to see him too. The three men make fast friends, but there's an attraction too. Can they work through their issues and Dare to Hope for more?

This is a lovely story, with a moving background. Micah’s flashbacks are realistic and emotive, and Gabe’s grief is almost tangible. Tristan helps them both individually, but fights his attraction to both men, believing they’ll be better off without him around. The complexities of the relationships with each other are enthralling. The menage aspect makes the will-they wont-they so much more complex, and the demons each man is fighting make is even more challenging. That said, it wasn’t an overly angst-y book, and was very enjoyable to listen to. So much so, that I stayed awake until 4am one morning to listen to the end!

Joel Leslie does an outstanding job with what must have been a tricky story to narrate. There are three leading men for starters, and more emotional baggage than five strong men could carry! His voices were warm, engaging, and clear. He gave super intonation and characterisation. and was a joy to listen to.

The HEA was lovely, and I’ll be sure to look up the audio books of the first three books in the series to get the down-low on all the Brennan brothers, and All Cocks boys!

I was given a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.