Coexistence
Human Hybrids #1
by Clare Solomon
M/M Sci-fi/Futuristic/Shifters
3.5 Stars
Heat Level: Low.
Author Website: http://claresolomon.com/
Amazon
Review Copy supplied by author
Edited to add
The author has let me know that Goodreads had an old description of the book up, which is where a lot of the confusion came in. Goodreads now has the correct version up. I'm upping my rating to 4 stars, as it was a mistake on Goodreads part, not by the author. If you read the correct blurb below, the book should make a lot more sense now :)
Revised blurb:
Scientists have genetically engineered five human hybrid races known as werewolves, vampires, dragons, sensers and wendigoes. The first four races coexist with humans in relative peace. The fifth one wants to butcher the others and they are getting stronger.
Jaspal ‘Pal’ Khatri is nearly killed and forced to leave his home with a werewolf pack in Oxford, England when the local HyCO group leads a mob of anti-hybrid rioters against them. He travels to the Highlands of Scotland for a fresh start and meets Brand, a werewolf still grieving after the murder of his lover, Kye, a year ago. He and Brand find a dead vampire and Pal is suddenly in the nightmare situation of being accused of the murder. There is a link between this death and that of Kye and Brand works for another branch of HyCO so, to prove his innocence, Pal must join the organisation he loathes and try to ignore his growing feelings for Brand as they work to solve the case
Review:
I'm really not sure what to make of this book. On the one hand it was very well written with a good plot and interesting characters.
On the other, I'm feeling a bit let down with the romance aspects and a bit confused about how the story starts. From the blurb above, I expected Kye and Brand to be main characters in the book. But (spoiler ahead) Kye is dead long before the book starts, over a year ago. The same with the Wendigo attacks, they have happened offscreen a year ago and are only mentioned. The book actually starts with the attack on Pal in Oxford, before he flees to Scotland.
I got the feeling I started reading the story somewhere in the middle. There is some good world-building with the different hybrid races etc. And I liked that these were genetically engineered hybrids, rather than paranormal creatures as such. It gave the book something different.
I loved Pal, despite being a werewolf, he was a very gentle soul and was a doctor, doing his best to help people, no matter what race.
Brand was harder to get to know. He's still grieving over his dead lover, Kye, and he pushes Pal away all the time, despite feeling that they might have some connection.
Their romance doesn't really start until near the end of the book, somewhere around 70% on my Kindle if I remember. So I would say it's more of a detective/whodunnit book with romantic elements, rather than a Romance per se. It depends on what you're looking for I suppose.
It's an interesting story and kept me reading on, despite the few flaws I found with it. If you'd like a different take on vampires, werewolves, dragons et al, give it a go.
The author has a free prequel novella on her website, I'd suggest reading that one first. Then this one will make a lot more sense.
Recommended for people who like sci-fi, shifters and detective novels.
M/M Romances 99 cents this weekend June 24 - June 26
The Mystery of the Black Widow
by Lady T.L. Jennings
M/M Historical/Mystery/Parnormal
Amazon
“Do you believe in ghosts?”
Cedric Davidson, a young solicitor from London, does not believe in neither ghosts nor ghouls and goblins. However, both his strong conviction and moral principles are to be severely tested when he is sent to Lydford Hall to sort out the legal documents after the owner’s sudden mysterious death.
Lydford Hall is an estate located in the middle of the most desolate part of Dartmoor and it is said to be haunted by the Black Widow. There he meets Christopher Morgan, the gamekeeper, whom he is instantly and dangerously attracted to.
And suddenly nothing is what it seems to be…
***
Blood Lilies
(Blood Wars Book 1)
by T.A. Miles
M/M Fantasy
Amazon
For Korsten Brierly, life already seemed complicated enough. Disinherited from a young age, helping to govern a town of strategic significance to warring countries, keeping his affair with the local governor's son a secret....
When a demon hunting mage arrives at his doorstep at the same time gruesome murders begin, Korsten finds himself quickly swept away by a tide of events and discoveries beyond his darkest dreams. Caught up in a war much deeper and far more dangerous than he ever would have believed it to be, Korsten is forced to abandon the life he knew and everyone in it. Summoned to a duty that terrifies him, by powers he can't ignore, he begins a journey into understanding his own soul and how to protect the souls of others from demons bent on possessing, poisoning, and devouring them through methods that are gradually decaying the world they live in. Struggling to stay afloat in a maelstrom of ancient forces, his own emotions, and dangerous political games, Korsten commits himself to the task, for the sake of his soul and his sanity, and for the sake of the lover he was not supposed to have...a man possessed by ambition and by a demon with goals of its own.
***
The Chosen
by Annette Gisby
M/M Fantasy
Amazon
The neighbouring kingdoms of Oscia and Arcathia have been at a tentative peace for three years after centuries of warfare. Prince Severin of Arcathia has been brought up to put duty before all else and as the only son of the King and Queen, it is his duty to marry and produce an heir. His parents want him to marry an Oscian princess to cement that tentative peace. Unfortunately Severin isn't interested in princesses. Now, if he had his pick of princes that would be another matter.
Havyn has been a slave all his life. When his aptitude for wizardry is discovered, he finds himself purchased and freed by Prince Severin and apprenticed to the royal wizard, Ildar. His duty is to stay chaste to keep his powers strong, but his feelings for Severin sorely test his resolve.
With kingdoms at war, the throne hanging in the balance, magic in the air, and outside forces trying to keep them apart, can the two men find happiness together, or is duty more important than love?
***
Claiming His Mate (A Rogue Alpha Story)
by Lissa Ford
M/M Paranormal/Shifters
Amazon
Hunted for a crime he didn’t commit, alpha shifter Logan Dix tries to keep loneliness at bay until he can prove his innocence. His retreat high in the Rocky Mountains has left him utterly alone, and for too long. When fate intervenes by sending a shifter after him, Dix’s hunger to bond to a mate drives him to do something stupid.
Kristof Two-Feather should have known better than to volunteer to bring home a killer. But the Pack needs justice, and he needs to avenge his friend’s murder. Logan Dix is a dangerous Rogue Alpha and an accused murderer. Despite his training in black ops, Kristof hopes he can keep from becoming the hunted.
But the mountain is unforgiving, as is a rogue shifter rumored to be a former Delta Force soldier. It will take all of Kristof’s cunning to survive the ordeal he’s found himself in…and to keep his body and soul from becoming bonded to a fugitive from justice.
***
Hard Wood
Tool Shed Book 1
by A.R. Steel
M/M Contemporary
Amazon
Ace Hartley lives for the thrills. This bad boy loves 'em and leaves 'em, and he likes it that way. His family's wealth means he doesn't have to work for a living, so his employment as an exotic dancer is nothing more than a sexy diversion. In fact, he's just about ready to move on to the next adventure.
Gabriel Mueller despises his menial job. When he's presented with the opportunity to audition as a stripper, he leaps without looking - and lands in deep water. Before he even realizes he's in over his head, he's fallen under the spell of one devilishly handsome coworker.
Will the pleasure-seeking playboy take Gabriel into his bed for one night? Or could the good-looking geek give Ace a reason to stay at the Tool Shed?
***
For Love of a Steampunk Heart
Firebend Chronicles Book 1
by Leah Ross
M/M Fantasy/Steampunk
Amazon
Sixty-four years ago, the Blast changed everything. The modern, interconnected world died and two disparate societies took its place. The pioneers founded their own world in the frontier of the Fringe. The rest crowded themselves into dome cities and cut themselves off from the world. Fringer or Domer. One or the other. Never both. Until now.
Nick Massey is an inventor and mechanic, a Domer struggling to break out of his poverty-stricken existence and escape his tragic past. He’s brilliant. He’s talented. He just lost his job. With nothing keeping him in the city, he leaves his meager life behind and strikes out for the wild unknowns of the Fringe. He’s hoping to find happiness and purpose. Instead, he finds Zander.
Zander Pennington is a Fringer, born and bred, a lifelong resident of the town of Firebend. He’s tough and resourceful and absolutely intolerant of unknowns. As a partner in the region’s most lucrative mineral mining operation, he doesn’t have time to deal with anything but business. Business is what he knows. Business is his comfort zone. Nick is not business.
Despite their inherent differences, Nick and Zander must learn to trust each other and work as a team to thwart the danger that threatens them and all of Firebend. It’s the danger they can’t fight, though, that could break both of their hearts and destroy their lives.
***
The Pull of Yesterday
by Gabriella West
M/M Contemporary
Amazon
Dave Madden starts off the new year of 2011 with a haunting dream, which doesn't bode well for his and Aaron's relationship. While Dave clings stubbornly to the emotional stability he has found with Aaron, thoughts of his old flame Matt Cohen obsess him. A sudden trip back to Boston for a family emergency adds to Dave's angst and shakes his sense of identity further. He has to ask himself the unthinkable: what if Matt is the man he was meant to be with all along?
As Dave pulls away from him, Aaron must find the strength to survive, and look inward for answers.
In this powerful sequel to Elsie Street, set in contemporary San Francisco, all bets are off.
***
Buried Desire
by A.E. Wasp
Soulbonded Book 1
M/M Paranormal/Ghosts
Amazon
The vengeful ghost of a murdered girl stalks the innocent. A forbidden passion ignites in the dark. Secrets of the past that doom the present rise with the dead at Eden Lake.
For Nikolai and Alexei, their jobs at Camp Nevele were supposed to be a break from real life, a last deep breath of freedom before returning to their family and the traditional marriages arranged for them. But the peace of the summer is shattered when the ghost of a brutally murdered girl begins to kill.
Even within his Romany family, Alexei has always been different. Gifted with the sight, he's lived his life knowing something dark hunts them. A being from the otherworld unwilling to stop until it gets what it wants...and what it wants is Nikolai.
As the boys struggle to put the spirit to rest before it kills again, they find it harder and harder to deny the passion burning between them.
Despite the deep taboos of their upbringing, desire ignites between the young men and they are left with a devastating choice between holding on to each other and losing everything they've ever known. But the very love that binds them together may separate them forever and the choice may not be theirs to make.
Fans of the supernatural and passionate stories of first love will fall in love with the fantasy romance of Nikolai and Alexei and their desperate struggle to stay together.
***
Territory of Angels
AR: Heaven Book 1
by Tricia Owens
M/M Paranormal/Angels/Demons
Amazon
Can Angels fall in love with a former shoe salesman?
Ryan thought becoming an Angel would be easy. Well, besides the whole dying part. But earning his wings is difficult when he lusts after the most glorious Angel in existence: Anifiel, the Commander of Heaven's Army. Everything that Ryan does is wrong in the great Angel's eyes. It doesn't help that every time Anifiel draws near, Ryan is overcome with a lust too powerful to resist, a lust that Anifiel resents.
When Anifiel's lover goes missing from Heaven, Anifiel holds Ryan responsible and demands that he make amends. But how do you earn forgiveness from others when you haven't yet forgiven yourself?
***
Playing Charlie Cool
by Laruie Boris
M/M Contemporary
Amazon
Charlie Trager knows he’s lucky to have a successful career as a television producer, supportive friends and family, and Joshua — the man he loves. But Joshua is struggling with an election and a spiteful ex-wife threatening custody of his children. Can Charlie’s plan save their relationship?
***
Life in a Nowhere Town
by Hanna Dare
M/M Contemporary/New Adult
Amazon
First kiss, first heartbreak, first love, first time… but not necessarily in that order.
The hit reality show, Singing Sensation, promises to make its winners big stars - but all Conor Gillis wants is to get out of his small town. It's not the sort of place where a quiet, eighteen-year-old who loves the Beatles and playing guitar can expect to fit in.
Conor's also pretty sure he's the only gay person in town.
Well, except for one other person...
Derek Folsom is the kind of bad influence parents warn you about. He's tough, rough, and always looking for a fight. He's the last person anyone would suspect of being gay, in fact he's likely to punch anyone who does suspect it. So why is he suddenly so interested in Conor?
Conor's pinning all his hopes on auditioning for a TV show. It's his only chance to realize his dreams, and escape all of these confusing feelings. But will he be able to find his voice... and his true self?
***
My Partner The Wolf
by Hollis Shiloh
M/M Paranormal/Shifters/Detectives
Amazon
Chemistry off the charts—but is that enough?
Tom Langley and Sean Goods work together in a human-and-wolf shifter partnership, assisting the police, rushing in to solve crimes wherever their bosses send them. They're a great team, and they have fun together, too: joking and enjoying each other's company in a way that doesn't happen every day.
Tom is also a married man. And his husband hates the wolf shifter with a passion. Tom tries to balance the sides of his life—one minute on a high-pressure chase with Sean, the next placating his husband Lowell.
Then the unthinkable happens: his marriage ends. Heartbroken, he's not expecting to ever get over Lowell's betrayal or to be able to love again.
Sean offers a solution: sex as friends. They have chemistry, and they trust each other.
But can they change their partnership that much? And is Sean secretly harboring feelings for him—expecting more than just sex?
Sean is a loveable, funny, strong, and protective. He's the best buddy a guy could have. But Tom might not be able to keep from breaking his heart—if Sean is in love with him, and Tom can't love him back.
***
Haunt of the Wilds
by Emmi Lawrence
M/M Paranormal/Shifters
Amazon
The wild will reign.
When Houndmaster De'vii and his pack take on a seemingly innocuous escort job, things quickly spiral out of control. Creatures straight from a death plane hide within the unfamiliar country and the people he's supposed to rely on to help have their own darker motivations.
And then there's De'vii's alluring charge.
Caliebb Renaveri is harmless and quiet, yet also manages to stir the wild in every dog in De'vii's pack. He can't afford to allow the wildness to take over, nor can he abandon the job. But Caliebb is more than he appears and stronger than he seems and by the time De'vii realizes just how dangerous Caliebb truly is he stands to lose everything he holds dear: his mind, his life and his pack.
The exciting beginning to The Wilds Duology.
***
by Lady T.L. Jennings
M/M Historical/Mystery/Parnormal
Amazon
“Do you believe in ghosts?”
Cedric Davidson, a young solicitor from London, does not believe in neither ghosts nor ghouls and goblins. However, both his strong conviction and moral principles are to be severely tested when he is sent to Lydford Hall to sort out the legal documents after the owner’s sudden mysterious death.
Lydford Hall is an estate located in the middle of the most desolate part of Dartmoor and it is said to be haunted by the Black Widow. There he meets Christopher Morgan, the gamekeeper, whom he is instantly and dangerously attracted to.
And suddenly nothing is what it seems to be…
***
Blood Lilies
(Blood Wars Book 1)
by T.A. Miles
M/M Fantasy
Amazon
For Korsten Brierly, life already seemed complicated enough. Disinherited from a young age, helping to govern a town of strategic significance to warring countries, keeping his affair with the local governor's son a secret....
When a demon hunting mage arrives at his doorstep at the same time gruesome murders begin, Korsten finds himself quickly swept away by a tide of events and discoveries beyond his darkest dreams. Caught up in a war much deeper and far more dangerous than he ever would have believed it to be, Korsten is forced to abandon the life he knew and everyone in it. Summoned to a duty that terrifies him, by powers he can't ignore, he begins a journey into understanding his own soul and how to protect the souls of others from demons bent on possessing, poisoning, and devouring them through methods that are gradually decaying the world they live in. Struggling to stay afloat in a maelstrom of ancient forces, his own emotions, and dangerous political games, Korsten commits himself to the task, for the sake of his soul and his sanity, and for the sake of the lover he was not supposed to have...a man possessed by ambition and by a demon with goals of its own.
***
The Chosen
by Annette Gisby
M/M Fantasy
Amazon
The neighbouring kingdoms of Oscia and Arcathia have been at a tentative peace for three years after centuries of warfare. Prince Severin of Arcathia has been brought up to put duty before all else and as the only son of the King and Queen, it is his duty to marry and produce an heir. His parents want him to marry an Oscian princess to cement that tentative peace. Unfortunately Severin isn't interested in princesses. Now, if he had his pick of princes that would be another matter.
Havyn has been a slave all his life. When his aptitude for wizardry is discovered, he finds himself purchased and freed by Prince Severin and apprenticed to the royal wizard, Ildar. His duty is to stay chaste to keep his powers strong, but his feelings for Severin sorely test his resolve.
With kingdoms at war, the throne hanging in the balance, magic in the air, and outside forces trying to keep them apart, can the two men find happiness together, or is duty more important than love?
***
Claiming His Mate (A Rogue Alpha Story)
by Lissa Ford
M/M Paranormal/Shifters
Amazon
Hunted for a crime he didn’t commit, alpha shifter Logan Dix tries to keep loneliness at bay until he can prove his innocence. His retreat high in the Rocky Mountains has left him utterly alone, and for too long. When fate intervenes by sending a shifter after him, Dix’s hunger to bond to a mate drives him to do something stupid.
Kristof Two-Feather should have known better than to volunteer to bring home a killer. But the Pack needs justice, and he needs to avenge his friend’s murder. Logan Dix is a dangerous Rogue Alpha and an accused murderer. Despite his training in black ops, Kristof hopes he can keep from becoming the hunted.
But the mountain is unforgiving, as is a rogue shifter rumored to be a former Delta Force soldier. It will take all of Kristof’s cunning to survive the ordeal he’s found himself in…and to keep his body and soul from becoming bonded to a fugitive from justice.
***
Hard Wood
Tool Shed Book 1
by A.R. Steel
M/M Contemporary
Amazon
Ace Hartley lives for the thrills. This bad boy loves 'em and leaves 'em, and he likes it that way. His family's wealth means he doesn't have to work for a living, so his employment as an exotic dancer is nothing more than a sexy diversion. In fact, he's just about ready to move on to the next adventure.
Gabriel Mueller despises his menial job. When he's presented with the opportunity to audition as a stripper, he leaps without looking - and lands in deep water. Before he even realizes he's in over his head, he's fallen under the spell of one devilishly handsome coworker.
Will the pleasure-seeking playboy take Gabriel into his bed for one night? Or could the good-looking geek give Ace a reason to stay at the Tool Shed?
***
For Love of a Steampunk Heart
Firebend Chronicles Book 1
by Leah Ross
M/M Fantasy/Steampunk
Amazon
Sixty-four years ago, the Blast changed everything. The modern, interconnected world died and two disparate societies took its place. The pioneers founded their own world in the frontier of the Fringe. The rest crowded themselves into dome cities and cut themselves off from the world. Fringer or Domer. One or the other. Never both. Until now.
Nick Massey is an inventor and mechanic, a Domer struggling to break out of his poverty-stricken existence and escape his tragic past. He’s brilliant. He’s talented. He just lost his job. With nothing keeping him in the city, he leaves his meager life behind and strikes out for the wild unknowns of the Fringe. He’s hoping to find happiness and purpose. Instead, he finds Zander.
Zander Pennington is a Fringer, born and bred, a lifelong resident of the town of Firebend. He’s tough and resourceful and absolutely intolerant of unknowns. As a partner in the region’s most lucrative mineral mining operation, he doesn’t have time to deal with anything but business. Business is what he knows. Business is his comfort zone. Nick is not business.
Despite their inherent differences, Nick and Zander must learn to trust each other and work as a team to thwart the danger that threatens them and all of Firebend. It’s the danger they can’t fight, though, that could break both of their hearts and destroy their lives.
***
The Pull of Yesterday
by Gabriella West
M/M Contemporary
Amazon
Dave Madden starts off the new year of 2011 with a haunting dream, which doesn't bode well for his and Aaron's relationship. While Dave clings stubbornly to the emotional stability he has found with Aaron, thoughts of his old flame Matt Cohen obsess him. A sudden trip back to Boston for a family emergency adds to Dave's angst and shakes his sense of identity further. He has to ask himself the unthinkable: what if Matt is the man he was meant to be with all along?
As Dave pulls away from him, Aaron must find the strength to survive, and look inward for answers.
In this powerful sequel to Elsie Street, set in contemporary San Francisco, all bets are off.
***
Buried Desire
by A.E. Wasp
Soulbonded Book 1
M/M Paranormal/Ghosts
Amazon
The vengeful ghost of a murdered girl stalks the innocent. A forbidden passion ignites in the dark. Secrets of the past that doom the present rise with the dead at Eden Lake.
For Nikolai and Alexei, their jobs at Camp Nevele were supposed to be a break from real life, a last deep breath of freedom before returning to their family and the traditional marriages arranged for them. But the peace of the summer is shattered when the ghost of a brutally murdered girl begins to kill.
Even within his Romany family, Alexei has always been different. Gifted with the sight, he's lived his life knowing something dark hunts them. A being from the otherworld unwilling to stop until it gets what it wants...and what it wants is Nikolai.
As the boys struggle to put the spirit to rest before it kills again, they find it harder and harder to deny the passion burning between them.
Despite the deep taboos of their upbringing, desire ignites between the young men and they are left with a devastating choice between holding on to each other and losing everything they've ever known. But the very love that binds them together may separate them forever and the choice may not be theirs to make.
Fans of the supernatural and passionate stories of first love will fall in love with the fantasy romance of Nikolai and Alexei and their desperate struggle to stay together.
***
Territory of Angels
AR: Heaven Book 1
by Tricia Owens
M/M Paranormal/Angels/Demons
Amazon
Can Angels fall in love with a former shoe salesman?
Ryan thought becoming an Angel would be easy. Well, besides the whole dying part. But earning his wings is difficult when he lusts after the most glorious Angel in existence: Anifiel, the Commander of Heaven's Army. Everything that Ryan does is wrong in the great Angel's eyes. It doesn't help that every time Anifiel draws near, Ryan is overcome with a lust too powerful to resist, a lust that Anifiel resents.
When Anifiel's lover goes missing from Heaven, Anifiel holds Ryan responsible and demands that he make amends. But how do you earn forgiveness from others when you haven't yet forgiven yourself?
***
Playing Charlie Cool
by Laruie Boris
M/M Contemporary
Amazon
Charlie Trager knows he’s lucky to have a successful career as a television producer, supportive friends and family, and Joshua — the man he loves. But Joshua is struggling with an election and a spiteful ex-wife threatening custody of his children. Can Charlie’s plan save their relationship?
***
Life in a Nowhere Town
by Hanna Dare
M/M Contemporary/New Adult
Amazon
First kiss, first heartbreak, first love, first time… but not necessarily in that order.
The hit reality show, Singing Sensation, promises to make its winners big stars - but all Conor Gillis wants is to get out of his small town. It's not the sort of place where a quiet, eighteen-year-old who loves the Beatles and playing guitar can expect to fit in.
Conor's also pretty sure he's the only gay person in town.
Well, except for one other person...
Derek Folsom is the kind of bad influence parents warn you about. He's tough, rough, and always looking for a fight. He's the last person anyone would suspect of being gay, in fact he's likely to punch anyone who does suspect it. So why is he suddenly so interested in Conor?
Conor's pinning all his hopes on auditioning for a TV show. It's his only chance to realize his dreams, and escape all of these confusing feelings. But will he be able to find his voice... and his true self?
***
My Partner The Wolf
by Hollis Shiloh
M/M Paranormal/Shifters/Detectives
Amazon
Chemistry off the charts—but is that enough?
Tom Langley and Sean Goods work together in a human-and-wolf shifter partnership, assisting the police, rushing in to solve crimes wherever their bosses send them. They're a great team, and they have fun together, too: joking and enjoying each other's company in a way that doesn't happen every day.
Tom is also a married man. And his husband hates the wolf shifter with a passion. Tom tries to balance the sides of his life—one minute on a high-pressure chase with Sean, the next placating his husband Lowell.
Then the unthinkable happens: his marriage ends. Heartbroken, he's not expecting to ever get over Lowell's betrayal or to be able to love again.
Sean offers a solution: sex as friends. They have chemistry, and they trust each other.
But can they change their partnership that much? And is Sean secretly harboring feelings for him—expecting more than just sex?
Sean is a loveable, funny, strong, and protective. He's the best buddy a guy could have. But Tom might not be able to keep from breaking his heart—if Sean is in love with him, and Tom can't love him back.
***
Haunt of the Wilds
by Emmi Lawrence
M/M Paranormal/Shifters
Amazon
The wild will reign.
When Houndmaster De'vii and his pack take on a seemingly innocuous escort job, things quickly spiral out of control. Creatures straight from a death plane hide within the unfamiliar country and the people he's supposed to rely on to help have their own darker motivations.
And then there's De'vii's alluring charge.
Caliebb Renaveri is harmless and quiet, yet also manages to stir the wild in every dog in De'vii's pack. He can't afford to allow the wildness to take over, nor can he abandon the job. But Caliebb is more than he appears and stronger than he seems and by the time De'vii realizes just how dangerous Caliebb truly is he stands to lose everything he holds dear: his mind, his life and his pack.
The exciting beginning to The Wilds Duology.
***
Book Spotlight: A Trust to Follow by Diana Waters
Title: A Trust to Follow
Author: Diana Waters
Genre: Gay Romance, Historical/Fantasy
Length: Novella
Publisher: Wayward Ink Publishing
Synopsis
Prince Daymon is an Evoker—possessor of rare and feared magical powers.When he is captured by bandits who plan to use his gifts for their own benefit he must depend upon his lover to come to his rescue.
Rhyder is captain of Daymon’s personal guard and the legendary ‘Lion of the West’, but can he reach the man he loves before it’s too late?
Excerpt
“Are
you really him? The Lio… Sir Rhyder?”
Rhyder
straightened up from where he had been examining the array of
training swords, and Daymon could have kicked himself. What was he
saying, he already knew
this was Rhyder—and Rhyder, judging from the slight
quirk
of his mouth, knew that too. Still, the man was polite enough not to
say anything to embarrass Daymon and made a bow. “At your service,
Your Highness. But if it please you, I am no Sir. Just Rhyder will
suffice.”
“Oh.
Yes. Of course, I knew that. I just….” Daymon trailed off, all of
his practiced
conversations and smooth, courtly language failing him.
When
it became apparent that Daymon was lost for words, Rhyder prompted
him, as though there had been no awkward pause. “And you are Prince
Daymon. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Your Highness. To what
do I owe the honor?”
“I…
um, that is. I always wanted to meet you! Ever since I heard the
stories, you know, the ones about… and there are so many of them!
Is it true you bested Kharsan the Great in single combat? And that
you tamed a Rhodan
horse when you were only twelve?” With an effort, Daymon stopped
before he could embarrass himself further.
To
his credit, Rhyder did not laugh at his babbling. “Yes and yes,”
he replied easily, as though this was the kind of conversation he had
every day—which, for all Daymon knew, he did. “I did have some
help with that second one, however. And if
truth
be told, I’ve wanted to meet you for some time now as well.”
“Me?”
Daymon squeaked.
“Indeed.
Your Highness must be aware that if there are plenty of stories about
me, there are many more surrounding you.”
Buy Links
WIP: http://www.waywardinkpublishing.com/product/a-trust-to-follow-by-diana-waters/Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FUHLSZ8/
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01FUHLSZ8/
Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B01FUHLSZ8/
Amazon DE: https://www.amazon.de/dp/B01FUHLSZ8/
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-atrusttofollow-2041089-143.html
Book Trailer
Giveaway
Prize: $2.99 WIP Gift Carda Rafflecopter giveaway
About the Author
DIANA WATERS is a New Zealander currently living in rural Japan. She has no idea where in the world she’ll be this time next year and is pretty okay with that. Other than reading and writing, her main passions include travel, Japanese pop culture, and competitive swimming.DIANA WATERS can be found at:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010664493155
Twitter: https://twitter.com/diana__waters
Book Review: Loving Djinni by Beryll & Osiris Brackhaus
Loving Djinni
by Beryll & Osiris Brackhaus
M/M Paranormal/Mythology
Review Copy supplied by authors
4 Stars
Buy at Amazon
Blurb:
Loving Djinni’ is a charming, screwball-y paranormal m/m romance about ancient magic meeting modern men, and how true love still is the strongest magic of them all.
Left to die in a sealed tomb, David, an educated and good-natured New York arts dealer and part-time forger, stumbles over an old oil lamp. But instead of producing a little light for David’s last hours, it conjures forth a veritable djinni.
An ancient, tempting, puckish djinni, who in David’s company prefers to show himself as an irresistibly handsome, fit and barely legal teenager. Quite literally an incarnation of trouble waiting to happen.
So what’s a modern man to do with his three wishes, when he can have anything except the one thing he truly desires - to mend his broken heart?
***
Review 4 Stars:
David has recently spit up with his boyfriend, Stanley, who accuses David of being such a nerd, he's so boring and Stanley doesn't know what he ever saw in him. David's confidence is at rock bottom so when an opportunity arises to actually go on a dig on a real Egyptian tomb, David decides to go on the spur of a minute trip, despite the fact that he's never done anything like this before.
Renowned as an art and antiques dealer, David also has a bit of a criminal streak and has more than once palmed off fakes with fraudulent papers as to their origins. So the fact that the dig isn't strictly legal doesn't faze him at first. But he should pick his adventurers more carefully next time, if there is next time, for they attack him, knocking him out and resealing the tomb afterwards, leaving David to die alone
Until he found a very strange lamp.
Locked in a lamp for thousands of years, Sharu, an immortal djinni is only ever temporarily set free when a mortal finds the lamp, rubs it and gets granted three wishes. As soon as the third wish is made however, it's back into the lamp he goes.
He hates mortals, sees them as nothing more than vermin and he's such a trickster than he can twist the wishes around somewhat, depending on what the mortal asks for.
Their relationship starts out fairly rock at first, each not sure if trusting the other is a good idea, but they do gradually get to know one another, not just as master and slave.
David has no wish for a slave, and despite some of his criminal leanings, he is not cruel or malicious and wants to do the right thing by Sharu. He wonders if there is some way of breaking the curse, of setting Sharu free, but Sharu doesn't think there is. After all, he'd been cursed to be imprisoned for eternity.
There's a bit of humour, a bit of angst and lots of fun banter back and forth between the two heroes.
The relationship is more of a slow burn, but when they do get there, boy does the passion sizzle between them. And there's lots of delicious UST throughout the book before they get there.
In the book, there are quite a few references to Sharu looking young, or barely legal at times, which threw me out a bit somewhat. Sharu seemed to take a form of a young man round about nineteen. I'm in the UK, where the age of consent is sixteen, so reading about someone who looks around nineteen as barely legal was a bit jarring. Just say he looks like a young man, that's all that was needed.
That aside, it was a fun, adorable read. It was refreshing to read a paranormal story which wasn't populated with werewolves and vampires. It's a bit quirky in places and made me smile.
And if you want to know if David and Sharu get their happily ever after, you'll just have to read the story to find out. Suspend disbelief for a few hours and give it a go.
***
About the Authors:
Beryll and Osiris Brackhaus are a couple currently living their happily ever after in the very heart of Germany, under the stern but loving surveillance of their cat. Both are voracious but picky readers, they love telling stories and drinking tea, good food and the occasional violent movie. Together, they write novels of adventure and romance, hoping to share a little of their happiness with their readers.
by Beryll & Osiris Brackhaus
M/M Paranormal/Mythology
Review Copy supplied by authors
4 Stars
Buy at Amazon
Blurb:
Loving Djinni’ is a charming, screwball-y paranormal m/m romance about ancient magic meeting modern men, and how true love still is the strongest magic of them all.
Left to die in a sealed tomb, David, an educated and good-natured New York arts dealer and part-time forger, stumbles over an old oil lamp. But instead of producing a little light for David’s last hours, it conjures forth a veritable djinni.
An ancient, tempting, puckish djinni, who in David’s company prefers to show himself as an irresistibly handsome, fit and barely legal teenager. Quite literally an incarnation of trouble waiting to happen.
So what’s a modern man to do with his three wishes, when he can have anything except the one thing he truly desires - to mend his broken heart?
***
Review 4 Stars:
David has recently spit up with his boyfriend, Stanley, who accuses David of being such a nerd, he's so boring and Stanley doesn't know what he ever saw in him. David's confidence is at rock bottom so when an opportunity arises to actually go on a dig on a real Egyptian tomb, David decides to go on the spur of a minute trip, despite the fact that he's never done anything like this before.
Renowned as an art and antiques dealer, David also has a bit of a criminal streak and has more than once palmed off fakes with fraudulent papers as to their origins. So the fact that the dig isn't strictly legal doesn't faze him at first. But he should pick his adventurers more carefully next time, if there is next time, for they attack him, knocking him out and resealing the tomb afterwards, leaving David to die alone
Until he found a very strange lamp.
Locked in a lamp for thousands of years, Sharu, an immortal djinni is only ever temporarily set free when a mortal finds the lamp, rubs it and gets granted three wishes. As soon as the third wish is made however, it's back into the lamp he goes.
He hates mortals, sees them as nothing more than vermin and he's such a trickster than he can twist the wishes around somewhat, depending on what the mortal asks for.
Their relationship starts out fairly rock at first, each not sure if trusting the other is a good idea, but they do gradually get to know one another, not just as master and slave.
David has no wish for a slave, and despite some of his criminal leanings, he is not cruel or malicious and wants to do the right thing by Sharu. He wonders if there is some way of breaking the curse, of setting Sharu free, but Sharu doesn't think there is. After all, he'd been cursed to be imprisoned for eternity.
There's a bit of humour, a bit of angst and lots of fun banter back and forth between the two heroes.
The relationship is more of a slow burn, but when they do get there, boy does the passion sizzle between them. And there's lots of delicious UST throughout the book before they get there.
In the book, there are quite a few references to Sharu looking young, or barely legal at times, which threw me out a bit somewhat. Sharu seemed to take a form of a young man round about nineteen. I'm in the UK, where the age of consent is sixteen, so reading about someone who looks around nineteen as barely legal was a bit jarring. Just say he looks like a young man, that's all that was needed.
That aside, it was a fun, adorable read. It was refreshing to read a paranormal story which wasn't populated with werewolves and vampires. It's a bit quirky in places and made me smile.
And if you want to know if David and Sharu get their happily ever after, you'll just have to read the story to find out. Suspend disbelief for a few hours and give it a go.
***
About the Authors:
Beryll and Osiris Brackhaus are a couple currently living their happily ever after in the very heart of Germany, under the stern but loving surveillance of their cat. Both are voracious but picky readers, they love telling stories and drinking tea, good food and the occasional violent movie. Together, they write novels of adventure and romance, hoping to share a little of their happiness with their readers.
Book Review & Giveaway: Boy Banned by R.J. Scott
Boy Banned
by R.J. Scott
M/M Contemporary/Musicians
Cover: Meredith Russell
Publisher: Love Lane Books
Buy Links - Links to follow here: http://rjscottauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/boy-banned.html
When the only way to win is to hide who you are, how far are you prepared to go?
Reuben “Angel” Jacobs is one step away from giving it all up. Losing a place in the live finals of Sing UK almost kills him. He has no choice but to go home and work for the family business, even though it means giving up his dreams and proving his old bullies right.
Corey Dixon is a rocker at heart. Being on the spectrum means that making sense of other people’s ‘normal’ is hard in itself, let alone in the chaos of a high-powered competition. Singing is his safe space, the only way he can think through the noise in his head. Messing up his audition for the live shows means his journey is over, and it’s the worst day of his life.
The judges throw them a lifeline and create a boy band from the near-miss hopefuls. Angel, Corey, and three others are put together in a room and offered the chance to sing as a group. Agreeing to become part of the new band means Corey has to hide who he is and what Angel has come to mean to him.
Is winning worth the price Corey and Angel have to pay?
Review 4 Stars:
Now, let me preface this review with the fact that I have never seen an episode of The X-Factor, The Voice or any other talent show for that matter. I've seen clips of the shows, but I have never watched an entire episode from week to week as it were. But for this book, it didn't matter that I hadn't seen any of that. Take a character with any sort of dream and it will speak to the reader, even if it isn't a dream the character and reader share.
We all have hopes and dreams, doubts and fears, it's just that Corey's and Angel's dreams are a little bigger.
Narrowly missing out on being finalists in Sing UK, they are offered the chance with three other young men to form a boy band. They aren't really sure at first. Each of them has their own singing style and were all soloists. How do you take each of them and form a whole unit? They decide to give it a go, it's the only way they'll stay on the show.
I loved this book. There was angst, there was drama (but not too over the top), real emotions from real people and the romance between Cory an Angel was so sweet and romantic.
Corey has Asperger's and it was handled very well. I'm not on the spectrum, but I do have social anxiety and like Corey I can't handle crowds. It was beautiful the way he could hug Angel and all the noise went away.
There were lots of things going on behind the scenes, the rivalry between various contestants, the judges, how to handle the media etc. Everything had a place and although it was a romance, there was a good balance of plot too besides the romantic parts.
All the characters were well drawn and the writing flowed well. I can't say too much more without giving stuff away, so just go out and read it.
A must-read for any romance fan.
***
Excerpt:
“Filming in five, four….”
Brianna was clearly the leader in this particular choice. “Hi, guys,” she said strongly, her tone belied by the fluttering of her hands around her face. She had assumed the “we have terrible news” expression. Both the male judges had relaxed back in their seats.
All five of the contestants said hello back; the other four were as worried and subdued as Corey sounded to his own ears.
“Okay,” she began, “boys, boys, boys… you all know that the auditions at boot camp weren’t so good. Mistakes, wrong song choices, emotions getting the better of you….” She trailed off and looked into the distance with a soft pout. She was acting out the whole disappointment thing and was a freaking expert at it.
Corey shifted from one foot to the other. His head was banded with the start of a headache, which he was convinced would deteriorate into a migraine if he didn’t get some meds soon. That would just be the perfect shitty end to the perfect shitty day.
“We’ve considered you a lot. You’re the hardest group of singers, and it took us a long time to come to a decision.”
Another dramatic pause, in which Corey imagined music would be inserted for added drama. He stopped breathing, waiting for her to finish what she was going to say. Maybe, somehow, they’d been given the chance to prove themselves again, and she would say they were through.
She shook her head slowly. “Sorry, boys. We’re not taking you through as solo singers to the live finals.”
And there it was. Corey’s dream gone. Finished.
***
About the Author:
My goal is to write stories with a heart of romance, a troubled road to reach happiness, and most importantly, that hint of a happily ever after.
I've has been writing since age six, when I was made to stay in at lunchtime for an infraction involving cookies and the mixing bowl. You can't tell a six year old not to lick the bowl!
I was told to write a story and two sides of paper about a trapped princess later, a lover of writing was born.
As an avid reader myself, I can be found reading anything from thrillers to sci-fi to horror. However, my first real true love will always be the world of romance. I love my cowboys, bodyguards, firemen and billionaires (to name a few) and love to write dramatic and romantic stories of love and passion between these men. (Yum)
With over 90 titles to my name and counting, I am the author of the award winning book, The Christmas Throwaway, which was All Romance Ebooks best selling title of 2010.
I'm also known for the Texas series charting the lives of Riley and Jack, and the Sanctuary series following the work of the Sanctuary Foundation and the people it protects.
I'm always so thrilled to hear from readers, bloggers and other writers. Please contact via the following links below:
Email RJ (rj@rjscott.co.uk)
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3432558.R_J_Scott
http://rjscottauthor.blogspot.co.uk/
RJ on Twitter
https://www.facebook.com/author.rjscott
https://www.librarything.com/catalog/author.rjscott
https://uk.pinterest.com/rjscottauthor/
***
Giveaway:
Prizes: $20 Giftcard for Amazon or All Romance eBooks, 3 x Texas books, 3 x Bodyguard books.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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