Showing posts with label 4 stars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 4 stars. Show all posts
Review & Giveaway: Blood Stained Tea by Amy Tasukada
Blood Stained Tea - Amy Tasukada
M/M Thriller with romantic elements
Blurb
Nao hides from his violent past in the Japanese mob by opening a teahouse in Japan's cultural center, Kyoto. His past comes flooding back when he discovers a gravely injured man with a tattooed chest, a bloody knife, and a Korean business card.
Saehyun would've died if not for Nao's help. He knows nothing of his savior's connection with the local mafia, but Saehyun has his own secrets. He commands the Korean mafia, the mortal enemy of Nao’s former syndicate.
As Nao and Saehyun grow closer, so does the strength of the Korean mob. A shocking murder pulls Nao back into a past he'd all but abandoned. War is looming, and Nao must choose between protecting Saehyun or avenging the honor of his old mafia family..
The Yakuza Path: Blood Stained Teais the first book in a series of Japanese mafia thrillers. If you like complex characters, blood-soaked violence, and twists you won't see coming, then you'll love Amy Tasukada's gritty crime masterpiece.
Review: 4 Stars
Nao Murata runs a teahouse in the historical district of Kyoto and leads a simple, peaceful existence. But that wasn't always the case.
Finding an injured man in the canal during one of his walks, Nao takes him home and patches him up. But that simple act of compassion has repercussions and Nao is drawn back into the life of violence he thought he'd left behind forever.
For Saehyun Park, that injured man, is one of the leaders of the Korean Mafia, Double Moon gang, the arch-rivals of Nao's old Yakuza clan. The two feel an instant attraction, but neither man is honest as to who he truly is. And soon there is an all out turf war between the Kyoto Yakuza and the Double Moon who want to take over Kyoto.
Does Nao follow his heart, or his honour? And neither choice is an easy one. They are both stuck between a rock and a hard place.
We just recently came back from a holiday to Japan and I found the Japanese aspects very interesting, about the history and meanings of various festivals. And it was interesting to read about a place that you've been too and we spend some time in Kyoto.
This was a gritty, page-turning thriller that kept me up till two in the morning to finish it. You may have noticed I classified this as a thriller with romantic elements, rather than a romance. For while there is a love story here, it is a tragic one reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet, and what happens at the end cements it firmly in thriller category rather than romance category.
The love scenes aren't very explicit, but a lot of the violence is. Not that I was expecting a tale about Yakuza to be light and fluffy, but I could have done with a few more lighter parts to contrast with the darker aspects.
It's well written and while it may not be a light read, it is a compelling one and a fascinating insight into what might make people do such things.
Amy Tasukada lives in a catless home in North Texas. (She enjoys cats but can’t quite make that kind of commitment yet.) As an only child her day dreams kept her entertained, and at age ten she started to put them to paper. Since then her love of writing hasn’t cease. When she’s not chasing after stray cats, she can be found drinking hot tea and filming Japanese street fashion hauls on her Youtube channel.
Review & Giveaway: The Viscount and the Artist by Alyson Pearce
The Viscount And The Artist - Alyson Pearce
Length: 299 pages
Buy Links: Amazon US Amazon UK AllRomance Smashwords KOBO
Blurb
Andrew Cardwell is a man driven by duty to his country and to his family. After the death of his uncle, he's determined to provide security and stability for his family as the new Viscount Cardwell—even if that means marrying and producing an heir. Surprising himself, Andrew decides to sponsor a young artist named Jeremy for the season, to help him find a patron. What he doesn’t anticipate is how well Jeremy fits in his bed…and his life.
Jeremy Leighton knows what it’s like to be a disappointment. The only son of a vicar, he's refused to follow the path his father set for him, choosing his passion for art, instead. He accepts Andrew's proposal, hoping to prove to his father—and himself—that he can succeed as an artist. After spending time with Andrew in and out of bed, Jeremy struggles not to fall for the damaged viscount, knowing the season will likely end in Andrew's engagement.
Between a meddling cousin, a widow on the hunt for a new husband, and their own doubts about the relationship, how can Andrew and Jeremy shed the expectations of others to find true happiness?
Review 4 Stars:
Andrew Cardwell is a damaged man, both physically and emotionally. He lost his brother to accident, his lover to war. A war that left him half-dead and deeply scarred in body and soul.
When his uncle dies, Andrew is the new Viscount Cardwell and his cousin Phoebe wastes no time in demanding that he do his duty to marry and beget an heir in sort order, so that she and the rest of the family aren't left at the whims of a distant cousin, the nearest male relative.
If it hadn't been for his uncle's death Andrew would not even have considered marriage at all, for he is a man who desires men, not women.
Jeremy Leighton is the son of the vicar and the family have long been friends of the Cardwells. Jeremy and Andrew had been friends when they were younger, getting into scrapes together. But as they grew older, Jeremey's hero-worship of Adrew grew into something more but he tried to deny his nature.
His father had agreed to let Jeremy study Art at university, but now that Jeremy's education is over, his father wants him to join the clergy too and do something useful, rather than wander about with his head in the clouds, for the vicar can so no career in Jeremy's scribbles.
Meeting again after his uncle's funeral, Andrew senses immediately a kindred spirit in Jeremy. Jeremy is reluctant at first to reveal his desire for other men, his desire for Andrew, but Andrew breaks down his defences and Jeremy admits that he too, like Andrew, prefers men rather than women.
Andrew takes Jeremy under his wing, commissioning him for a portrait and taking him to London for the Season, where he will teach Jeremy all he needs to know about approaching other men who feel as they do. But Jeremy doesn't want to approach anyone else. He loves Andrew, but Andrew seems to see him as nothing more than a project to keep him busy during the Season before he settles down and marries.
Andrew likes Jeremy in his bed, and Jeremy will have to work hard to get into Andrew's heart as well as his bed.
An interesting start to what will be a series, I think. They seemed to fall into bed a bit too fast for me, but I can see how Andrew uses seduction to forget his worries and since Jeremy was already half-way in love with him by then, I could see him unable to resist Andrew's charms.
The pacing is normally quite good, but it sagged a little in the middle, when Andrew and Jeremy confide to their friends about their relationship problems, rather than speaking to each other about it, which would have cleared everything up immediately.
The writing is good and flows well but there were a couple of niggles for me at least, a few times the author uses the word 'reigns', as in rule over a country, when it should have been 'reins', those things you hold horses with. It made me smile anyway and didn't stop me from reading on to see how things with Jeremy and Andrew progress.
It is difficult when writing in this era to get the balance between a happy ending and being true to the history of the time, when being with a man was illegal and could get you hanged for your trouble. I think how the author handled it worked really well here.
I loved both Jeremy and Andrew, both different men with their own quirks and foibles and as the story is told in alternate points of view, we get to see inside both their heads. The supporting cast is well-drawn too and I suspect we might be seeing more of Percy, Oliver and Thaddeus in future books. They too deserve their happy endings.
A great, escapist read.
Jeremy Leighton knows what it’s like to be a disappointment. The only son of a vicar, he's refused to follow the path his father set for him, choosing his passion for art, instead. He accepts Andrew's proposal, hoping to prove to his father—and himself—that he can succeed as an artist. After spending time with Andrew in and out of bed, Jeremy struggles not to fall for the damaged viscount, knowing the season will likely end in Andrew's engagement.
Between a meddling cousin, a widow on the hunt for a new husband, and their own doubts about the relationship, how can Andrew and Jeremy shed the expectations of others to find true happiness?
Review 4 Stars:
Andrew Cardwell is a damaged man, both physically and emotionally. He lost his brother to accident, his lover to war. A war that left him half-dead and deeply scarred in body and soul.
When his uncle dies, Andrew is the new Viscount Cardwell and his cousin Phoebe wastes no time in demanding that he do his duty to marry and beget an heir in sort order, so that she and the rest of the family aren't left at the whims of a distant cousin, the nearest male relative.
If it hadn't been for his uncle's death Andrew would not even have considered marriage at all, for he is a man who desires men, not women.
Jeremy Leighton is the son of the vicar and the family have long been friends of the Cardwells. Jeremy and Andrew had been friends when they were younger, getting into scrapes together. But as they grew older, Jeremey's hero-worship of Adrew grew into something more but he tried to deny his nature.
His father had agreed to let Jeremy study Art at university, but now that Jeremy's education is over, his father wants him to join the clergy too and do something useful, rather than wander about with his head in the clouds, for the vicar can so no career in Jeremy's scribbles.
Meeting again after his uncle's funeral, Andrew senses immediately a kindred spirit in Jeremy. Jeremy is reluctant at first to reveal his desire for other men, his desire for Andrew, but Andrew breaks down his defences and Jeremy admits that he too, like Andrew, prefers men rather than women.
Andrew takes Jeremy under his wing, commissioning him for a portrait and taking him to London for the Season, where he will teach Jeremy all he needs to know about approaching other men who feel as they do. But Jeremy doesn't want to approach anyone else. He loves Andrew, but Andrew seems to see him as nothing more than a project to keep him busy during the Season before he settles down and marries.
Andrew likes Jeremy in his bed, and Jeremy will have to work hard to get into Andrew's heart as well as his bed.
An interesting start to what will be a series, I think. They seemed to fall into bed a bit too fast for me, but I can see how Andrew uses seduction to forget his worries and since Jeremy was already half-way in love with him by then, I could see him unable to resist Andrew's charms.
The pacing is normally quite good, but it sagged a little in the middle, when Andrew and Jeremy confide to their friends about their relationship problems, rather than speaking to each other about it, which would have cleared everything up immediately.
The writing is good and flows well but there were a couple of niggles for me at least, a few times the author uses the word 'reigns', as in rule over a country, when it should have been 'reins', those things you hold horses with. It made me smile anyway and didn't stop me from reading on to see how things with Jeremy and Andrew progress.
It is difficult when writing in this era to get the balance between a happy ending and being true to the history of the time, when being with a man was illegal and could get you hanged for your trouble. I think how the author handled it worked really well here.
I loved both Jeremy and Andrew, both different men with their own quirks and foibles and as the story is told in alternate points of view, we get to see inside both their heads. The supporting cast is well-drawn too and I suspect we might be seeing more of Percy, Oliver and Thaddeus in future books. They too deserve their happy endings.
A great, escapist read.
Excerpt
Sitting in the carriage outside Boodle’s, Jeremy fiddled with his coat buttons. A cold sweat had started along the back of his neck. Talking about finding a patron was one matter. Actively looking for one was completely different. He looked over at Andrew. The man was the embodiment of fashionable: his jet black tailcoat was expertly tailored, the waistcoat beneath adding a touch of colour and pattern. Even his cravat was tied in a perfect Osbaldeston. Next to him, Jeremy looked like a simple country boy, wearing clothing his father had bought him when he entered Oxford. His stomach rolled, and he regretted eating such a large dinner.
“You’re going to be fine,” Andrew said.
Jeremy fastened his buttons for a third time.
“Just relax. Hands at your sides. Deep breaths. Follow my lead and stay by my side.”
Nodding, Jeremy let his hands drop. He waited until Andrew opened the carriage door before climbing out. The sight in front of him was formal and imposing, and Jeremy wanted nothing more than to climb back into the carriage. The ground floor exterior was a white stone, while the upper levels were brick. The showpiece of the building, though, was the large, domed window in the centre, trimmed by white, scalloped stone.
“Come on.”
Andrew clapped Jeremy on the shoulder and steered them toward the door. It felt rather like he was being marched to the gallows. As they passed through the columned entrance, Jeremy balled his fists at his sides.
“You have to relax, Jeremy,” Andrew murmured. “No one is going to come and escort you out. You are here as my guest, and therefore you belong here. Unclench your fists. Drop your shoulders. Remember, every man you meet here is a potential patron. Treat them as such. Be respectful, but be yourself.”
Jeremy nodded, forcing his shoulders down. “All right. Where to first, Cardwell?”
“Let’s start by finding friends.”
After a giving Jeremy a quick tour of the ground floor, Andrew led him up the steps, toward the salon. A number of men had already started to gather at the card tables, and Jeremy stayed as close to Andrew as he possibly could. A large man with a bulbous nose and beady eyes broke away from the rest and started toward the both of them, favouring his left leg.
“Thomas Stanhope,” Andrew whispered. “A member of the Commons and not someone you want to work with.”
“Cardwell!” The man’s voice was thin and raspy, and his gaze darted between Andrew and Jeremy. “Back just in time for the Season, I see. Is your uncle with you?”
Andrew’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Uncle Richard passed a few weeks ago. You sent a letter expressing your condolences.”
Stanhope’s eyes widened, then narrowed. “Did I? I…You must forgive me. My mind is not what it once was.”
“Of course.” The words came out clipped. “Stanhope, allow me to introduce my friend, Mr. Jeremy Leighton.”
A flicker of emotion crossed Stanhope’s face, though Jeremy couldn’t place it. Whatever it was made him uncomfortable.
“Leighton…” The man frowned, as though he were trying to piece together a puzzle.
“It’s a pleasure,” Jeremy said, shaking the man’s hand.
“The pleasure is mine.” Stanhope didn’t release his grip. “Tell me, how did you become acquainted with our Cardwell, here?”
The man’s palm was sweaty and Jeremy longed to pull away, but when he tried, Stanhope simply tightened his grip. “My father was friends with Lord Richard Cardwell. I’ve been acquainted with his family since birth.”
The confusion twisted into something like satisfaction, and Stanhope smirked, a gleam in his eye.
“I see. And how—”
“Cardwell!”
Jeremy looked over Stanhope’s shoulder to see a man taller than Andrew walking over. When he looked back at Stanhope, the man’s expression had soured.
“Excuse me. I look forward to seeing you again, Mr. Leighton.”
Stanhope walked away, his expression clouded. Andrew breathed a sigh of relief and the tension visibly eased.
“Perfect timing, Percy,” Andrew said. “I thought I would have to cut Jeremy’s hand off to get him away.”
“You looked like a caged animal.” The man embraced Andrew and then pulled away. “I wondered if you would be here for the Season. We placed bets on whether or not you would turn up. Thaddeus put you down as sitting out.”
Jeremy blinked. How could he be so crass?
“It’s as though he doesn’t know me at all,” Andrew shot back. He turned to Jeremy. “Lord Percival Beaumont, this is Mr. Jeremy Leighton. Percy and I attended Harrow and Oxford together.”
As Beaumont shook his hand, Jeremy could practically feel the man scrutinizing his appearance. “Pleasure to make your acquaintance, my lord,” he said, not quite meeting Beaumont’s gaze.
Beaumont gave him the same easy-going smile he gave Andrew. “Pleasure’s all mine. Please, call me Percy. Andrew, Thaddeus and Oliver are at May’s Buildings. I thought you might want to head over.”
Andrew looked to Jeremy. “What do you think? Would you rather visit the Eccentrics than stay here?”
Given the stuffy crowd and their interactions with Stanhope, Jeremy was more than eager to leave. “Yes. Could we go, please?”
“Lead the way, then, Percy.”
The trio headed back down the stairs and out the door. Rather than hailing a carriage, they set off on foot. The sun had almost completely set, and a slight chill had entered the air, but it wasn’t anything Jeremy’s coat couldn’t protect against. As they walked, Jeremy found himself trailing behind Andrew, with Percy at his side.
“So you went to school with Andrew, then?” Jeremy asked. It was easy to relax around Percy, who treated him with the same warmth he treated Andrew. Stanhope, with his odd behaviour, had had the opposite effect on him.
Percy nodded. “Our families run in the same circles, so of course I knew Andrew, but I didn’t become friends with him until university.” He lowered his voice. “We, ah, share similar interests.”
The meaning was clear. Already, Jeremy was starting to pick up on the cues and the codes. “Of course,” he said.
Part of him wanted to ask whether or not they had been together, but a much larger part didn’t care to know.
“I do believe I’ve stunned you. Forgive me, I’ve said too much.”
“Not at all. I simply…”
“I see.” Percy nodded slowly. He glanced ahead at Andrew before turning back to Jeremy. “I wouldn’t worry, if I were you. What happened between us was years ago, and I found we’re much better suited as friends. Relax.”
“I would have a greater chance at relaxing if everyone stopped encouraging me to do so,” Jeremy retorted.
“My apologies. I meant only that I would like to get to know you better, as a friend of Andrew’s.”
“Gossiping about me, are you?” Andrew’s voice came from up ahead.
“You only wish,” Percy replied. He looped his arm through Jeremy’s. “Tell me about your relationship with Andrew.”
“My father was close friends with Andrew’s uncle, Richard.”
Percy flashed him a smile. “That tells me nothing about you and Andrew.”
“There’s not much to say.” Jeremy licked his lips. “I’m an artist looking for a patron. Andrew saw my work and commissioned me to paint his portrait, and in return he offered to let me come with him to London.”
“And does he give you anything else in return?”
Anger flared in Jeremy’s veins and he let out a harsh breath. “I don’t think that’s any of your business.”
“I mean nothing by it,” Percy said gently. “As I said, I only wish to get to know you better. I know Andrew, and I only want the best for him. For you both. I know how difficult it can be to get close to him.”
“What do you know of his difficulties?”
“As one of his oldest friends, I believe a better question would be what do I not know of his difficulties?” The man regarded him with an air of suspicion before relaxing. “Come to my townhouse tomorrow afternoon. We can discuss the matter further there.”
“And what do I tell Andrew?”
“That he isn’t invited.” Percy laughed, his entire face lighting up. “He’ll hardly like it, but he will recover. Sometimes it is nice to remind him that he cannot control everything and everyone.”
Review Tour Stops
October 5 - MM Good Book Reviews
October 7 - Zipper Rippers
October 10 - BooksLaidBareBoys
October 12 - From Top To Bottom Reviews
October 14 - Dog-Eared Daydreams, Love Bites & Silk Ties
October 19 - Nerdy Dirty & Flirty
October 21 - Engaging Secrets, Making It Happen, Diverse Reader, Bayou Book Junkie, Full Moon Dreaming, MM Book Escape
October 22 - Bella's Blog, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, My Fiction Nook
Review Tour Stops
October 5 - MM Good Book Reviews
October 7 - Zipper Rippers
October 10 - BooksLaidBareBoys
October 12 - From Top To Bottom Reviews
October 14 - Dog-Eared Daydreams, Love Bites & Silk Ties
October 19 - Nerdy Dirty & Flirty
October 21 - Engaging Secrets, Making It Happen, Diverse Reader, Bayou Book Junkie, Full Moon Dreaming, MM Book Escape
October 22 - Bella's Blog, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, My Fiction Nook
Author Bio
Alyson Pearce is an American transplant currently living in London, where she works full time in publishing and as an author of M/M romances. She fell in love with romances after discovering her grandmother’s library and hasn’t looked back. As a member of the LGBT community, she believes that everyone deserves their chance at a happily ever after. In her spare time, Alyson enjoys cooking, reading, and shouting at contestants on Chopped. The Viscount and the Artist is her first novel.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/pearce_alyson
Website: http://www.alysonpearce.com/
Book Review: A Triad in Three Acts by Blaine D. Arden
Books 1-3 The Complete Forester Trilogy
by Blaine D. Arden
Cayendi Press
M/M/M Fantasy/Elves/Mystery
4 Stars
Orignally posted at The Romance Reviews
http://glbt.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=22810
Blurb:
“Your Path is muddy, Kelnaht, but don’t think avoiding the puddles will make it easier to travel.”
Kelnaht, a cloud elf, is a truth seeker caught between love and faith, when a murder reveals an illicit affair between two tree elves he desires more than he can admit. Kelnaht’s former lover Ianys once betrayed him, and the shunned forester Taruif is not allowed to talk to anyone but the guide, their spiritual pathfinder.
The guide mentioned puddles, but I envisioned lakes, deep treacherous lakes, and I was drowning.
Then a stripling goes missing from the tribe, and heavy rainfall hides all traces of his whereabouts. With days creeping by without a lead, it’s hard to keep the tribe’s spirits up, more so when Kelnaht’s own future depends on the elders. Taruif has been shunned for almost twenty turns, but now that a possible forester’s apprentice is coming of age, the elders consider reducing his sentence. Taruif could be set free.
“I have great responsibilities, but my path ahead is as foggy and blurred as the path behind me.”
Later, when several children fall ill with more than a summer bug, truth seeker Kelnaht is assigned to investigate. What he finds is deadly and threatens the life of every underage child in the tribe, including Ianys’ daughter Atèn. Then a wounded traveller is found in the forest, left to die after a vicious attack.
“There is always a way.”
Kelnaht, Taruif, and Ianys are meant to be together, but old promises and the decree of the elders prevent them from claiming each other openly at Solstice. Kelnaht can investigate murder and foul play, but he can’t see how he can keep both his lovers without breaking the rules. But if he believes in the guide’s words and trusts his faith in Ma’terra, they will find a way to clear the fog and puddles from their paths.
***
Review 4 Stars
A wonderful mix of fantasy, magic and mystery with characters to fall in love with.
Three books in one, The Forester Trilogy includes the tales The Forester, Lost and Found and Full Circle. I'm glad I got to read them all at once, because each flowed into the other and made a much more satisfying read.
Kelnaht is a the truth seeker of his tribe, much like a modern day detective or investigator, but has natural magical talents that help him get to the truth of the matter. Whether it is murder, missing children or mysterious illnesses, Kelnaht is the elf who deals with these things.
Kelnaht is still in love with his previous partner, Ianys and is shocked and dismayed when he discovers the elf is now in a relationship with the forester, Taruif, an elf who has been shunned for decades. No one may utter his name and no one may speak to him except for the Guide, the elves' spiritual leader and advisor. Kelnaht is torn between keeping their secret and wanting to be included in it, for he has long desired Taruif from afar.
Invited to join their relationship as a triad, Kelnaht accepts, but due to the elders' restrictions, they cannot openly be together due to the shunning. Can the three men find happiness or is their love doomed to failure before it has a chance to grow?
The entire book is told through Kelnaht's point of view, which make sense with him being a truth-seeker, but I would have liked to get a glimpse into Taruif's and Ianys' minds too, even if only for a brief while.
Part magical adventure, part mystery, part love story, the book has a good balance between plot and romance. The prose is as lush as the forest surrounding the elves and sweeps you away on a fantastical adventure.
The love scenes, while well written, jarred me out of the story in places when the author used modern day expressions or slang. It didn't seem to fit with the fantasy/faerie tale feel of the rest of the book. Having an elf in a fantasy world use the expression 'jack off' just didn't seem to fit. But maybe that's just me :)
I've not read that many books with a poly or triad relationship, but it seemed to work well here and it was common in the elvish culture in the book. I loved the fact that Kelnaht was a cloud elf because he had wings and could fly, while Taruif was a tree elf and knew more of earth magics. Ianys was a blacksmith and each character had their own different skills and personalities which suited each. There is little jealousy in their relationship, all three know they are wanted
If you like fantasy tales with elves, magic and a love story that sweeps you in, this could be the book for you.
***
Book Review & Giveaway: Boy Banned by R.J. Scott
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.
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Book Review: Sweet Tooth by Jasmine Nightshade
Sweet Tooth
by Jasmine Nightshade
Crimson Romance
M/M Contemporary/Interracial
4 Stars
Blurb:
Artist Micah Taylor has returned home to tiny Fiesta, Florida, to pick up the pieces after the death of the father who disowned him. Mourning and still hurting that his dad never accepted that his son was gay, Micah stands at an emotional crossroads, unsure of his next move. -
Cash Callahan was a born entrepreneur, spending all his lunch money in grade school on sweets at the dollar store - then selling it to his classmates for jacked-up prices. Now he's bought a town icon and turned it into The Sweet Tooth, Fiesta's only candy store.
When Micah decides to buy his father’s favorite candy to lay on his grave, the visit brings a flood of memories to both young men, who had admired each other from afar all through high school—though neither knew it at the time. Then Cash hires Micah to paint a mural on the side of his building, and they embark on a scorching-hot relationship on the down low.
Micah wants to publicly celebrate their rekindled feelings, but Cash fears the backlash from small-town minds intolerant of both gay and interracial romance. Can Micah convince him that life is sweeter when you’re true to yourself?
Review:
Origanally posted at The Romance Reviews:
http://glbt.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=21167
Like the title, a sweet and sexy story about lost loves and second chances.
Micah has been estranged from his father for years, ever since his father threw him out the night he discovered his son was gay. He always thought they'd have time to reconcile, for his father to come to terms with the fact his son was gay. But his father's sudden death by a stroke soon puts paid to that idea. Micah misses the funeral by a couple of weeks. Guilt-ridden and aimless (for he has just been thrown out of art school) he heads back to his small home town of Fiesta, Florida.
His father never liked flowers, so instead Micah goes to buy his father's favourite sweets from the new candy store, Sweet Tooth. And comes face to face with his high-school crush, Cash. Cash has lived in Fiesta his whole life, has hidden who he is for that time too. Only too aware of the small town mentality, he is so far in the closet that he has almost come back out the other side. He dated women for a while, trying to keep up appearances, but his heart and other parts of his anatomy weren't in it. In the end he just gave up and settled on self-imposed abstinence rather than risk dating a man. And now the one man who could make his whole life unravel is standing in his shop and looking even better than Cash remembered.
But Micah is only passing through town and Cash is torn in two. He wants Micah, very badly, but he also doesn't want to be the subject of gossip from his neighbours and friends. He has a good life, if not emotionally satisfying. Can he risk it all on something that might only be a one-night stand anyway? Is Micah worth the risk? Can he have the reality rather than the fantasies he's harboured for so long?
Delicious, that's the one word that springs to mind when reading this book. Or that might be all the reference to candy and sweets. Micah and Cash both have different sets of baggage, both unsure if the other is even gay, if they like them like that and misunderstandings sometimes get in the way of their romance.
The characterization is excellent and the setting itself seems at times to be a character of its own too. You can feel the Florida heat, smell the vegetation, see the surf pounding against the sand as the author has described things so well. The words are sparing, with just enough description to let the reader set the scene themselves.
We got the story from both Micah's and Cash's point of view, which I approve of heartily. It's good to get inside the head of each character. They both engender empathy and sympathy and I was rooting for them both to get their HEA. The love scenes are both tender and sexy, these are men who have waited years to finally be together, so you know it shouldn't be rushed. And it isn't, the pacing seem just about right for these two.
If you're looking for a sweet, sexy read, give SWEET TOOTH a go.
Book Review & Giveaway: Star Power by Morticia Knight
Star Power
Morticia Knight
Genre: Gay, Suspense, BDSM
Date of Publication: February 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-943576-65-4
Book Description:
They must escape danger before they can have their Hollywood ending.
After a few cinematic bombs lower his box-office appeal, actor Adrien Fury wants Harrison Langford to bring his career back to superstar status. He would also love to learn more about his mysterious and handsome agent, if he could ever get him alone.
Harry has loved Adrien for years but never revealed his feelings. He keeps things professional between them and will do whatever it takes to make sure Adrien gets what he wants. When increasingly disturbing letters show up at his agency, threatening horrible things against the man he loves, Harry vows to protect Adrien at all costs.
Adrien and Harry are on the verge of revealing their true feelings to each other when danger strikes. Maybe they can share a lasting love…if Adrien's stalker doesn’t get to him first.
***
Review 4 Stars
Actor Adrien Fury's last two films were a disaster at the box office and he hasn't shed their stigma quite yet. His agent, Harrison is determined to get his career back on track, even if it means never mentioning the feelings he's been harbouring about his client for years now.
Adrien is being stalked by someone obsessing over him and the letters keep getting more and more explicit and deranged in their content. Not content with just letting the police handle it, Harrison arranges for bodyguards to watch Adrien's every move. Adrien chafes at this at first, but he knows Harrison has his best interests at heart, he's never steered him wrong in the ten years they've been working together. Harrison even told him not to do the films that had flopped so badly.
The care Harrison is showing for his welfare, just brings Adrien's own feelings to the forefront. He's fallen in love with his agent but has never done anything about it, because he always thought Harrison was straight. A night out on the town, an overzealous fan and a fight in a nightclub, bring everything to a head and they both admit what they'd been keeping to themselves all this time. They are in love and don't want to waste another minute.
But the course of true love never did run smooth and Adrien's stalker doesn't take kindly to Adrien and Harrison's new relationship. It might be over before it's even properly begun.
This is a well-paced, well-plotted novella that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Adrien and Harrison were two different characters, Adrien more outgoing and fun-loving, Harrison a bit more austere and sedate in public, but once in the bedroom it's a different matter. I loved these two facets of Harrison's character and they were both handled well. He's forceful in the bedroom, something of a Dom, although that isn't the main plot. It was just part of his nature, like the colour of his eyes.
Adrien matures a bit over the book, at first he seemed a little childish and ungrateful about the bodyguard situation, but as the stalker gets bolder, he sees the need for them. I loved both Adrien and Harrison and we get to see both of their points of view.
If I had one niggle, it was that the identity of the stalker came out of nowhere. There were a few red herrings along the way to keep you guessing, but I would have preferred for the identity of the stalker to be someone we'd actually met before. Maybe we did meet them earlier in the book, but I certainly didn't remember them at all.
But all in all a sexy, engaging read.
***
Excerpt:
The whole nightmare had begun a couple of months before, the first letters almost a month apart, then gradually becoming more violent and frequent. The one on Karen’s desk would be the third this week, the previous one less than twenty-four hours earlier.
“You can no longer be left alone for one thing.”
Adrien raised his head to see Harry staring at him even more intensely than normal. He hadn’t thought such a thing was possible.
“But I don’t trust anyone except my mom and sister. My brother’s out. He’d probably take out a billboard ad with directions to where I was and how to get to me. And anyway, I won’t endanger my family.”
“Of course not. After yesterday’s rather gory communication, I placed a call to a bodyguard agency. I’d planned on filling you in at the end of our meeting.”
Adrien tried not to roll his eyes. He didn’t know why they even bothered with meetings. Harry went ahead and did whatever he wanted to do anyway.
“Can I go on record and say that I think the whole bodyguard thing is creepy? Some stranger following me around in my own home, staring at me.”
“Is that less appealing to you than being killed?”
“Listen, Mr. Spock. Could I have a tiny bit of compassion here? You might not be freaking out, but I am.” He folded his hands in his lap, attempting to get his panic under control. Harry was right. Coming unglued wouldn’t help. He just had no idea what would. “Bodyguard, huh? How many and how do we pick a trustworthy agency? I mean, what if the stalker gets to them by paying them off or…something?”
“This isn’t the plot to your last bomb at the box office and regardless, I know of a reputable agency.”
Adrien let out an aggravated sigh. “Of course you do.”
“Would you prefer I was less efficient?” Harry continued as it had no doubt been a rhetorical question anyway. “I’ll confer with them. But my suggestion would be two inside and at least four on the perimeter of your property.”
Another sarcastic retort almost burst out of him, but he knew he was being a brat. It was obvious that Harry had already gone to the trouble of finding a way to protect him, probably doing it in a manner so that he wouldn’t get overly upset.
“Harry?”
“Yes, Adrien?”
“Thank you. I’m just…” He swallowed hard past a lump in his throat.
“I know, Adrien. Trust me. I won’t let anything bad happen to you.”
***
About the Author:
Morticia Knight spends most of her nights writing about men loving men forever after. If there happens to be some friendly bondage or floggings involved, she doesn’t begrudge her characters whatever their filthy little heart’s desire. Even though she’s been crafting her naughty tales for more years than she’d like to share – her adventures as a published author began in 2011. Once upon a time she was the lead singer in an indie rock band that toured the West Coast and charted on U.S. college radio. She currently resides on the northern Oregon coast and when she’s not fantasizing about hot men she takes walks along the ocean and annoys the local Karaoke bar patrons.
For more information on other books by Morticia, visit her website: www.MorticiaKnight.com
https://www.facebook.com/authormorticiaknight
https://twitter.com/MorticiaKnight
***
Tour giveaway
2 winners to receive two eBooks from Are books.
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Book Review & Giveaway: Danny's Dragon by Sedonia Guillone
Title: Danny’s Dragon
Author: Sedonia Guillone
Genre: Gay romance, contemporary
Length: Novel
Publisher: Wayward Ink Publishing
Synopsis
A rugged, muscular cop.
A sexy computer genius.
Secret desires.
Brought together by a crime committed on a cold dark night.
From the moment they meet, their lives can never be the same again...
Wild and rugged Dave Pearce is haunted by the demons of his past. He’s done his best to make a life for himself after the devastation of his lover’s suicide years earlier, but the trauma has left its mark on his soul.
Danny Wong is what Dave considers a “nerdy Bruce Lee.” Handsome, refined, out of his league.
But that doesn’t matter.
Dave believes himself to be dangerous for any man who would love him. So he stays back in the shadows, letting the desire he harbors for the hot grad student remain unrequited.
Danny has demons of his own. Duty-bound to his family’s goals for him, he remains shy and closeted, contenting himself with his secret fantasies about the sexy Irish cop who patrols the campus building where Danny does his graduate work.
Until one freezing winter night…
Leaving the building, fate steps in and their paths cross in a new...deeper way. Neither man can turn back. Danny and Dave must face the demons rearing their heads with full force, or lose their chance at an epic love...
Book Trailer:
***
Buy Links:
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B011S2O2ES/
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B011S2O2ES/
Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B011S2O2ES/
Amazon DE: http://www.amazon.de/dp/B011S2O2ES/
***
About the author:
Award-winning, multi-published author of erotic romance, SEDONIA GUILLONE spends her days writing deliciously naughty romances—when she’s not cuddling with the man she loves or watching kung fu and samurai films and eating chocolate.
Sedonia welcomes comments from readers.
Sedonia Guillone can be found at:
Website: www.sedoniaguillone.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SedoniaGuillone
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/sedoniag/
***
REVIEW 4 STARS:
Danny Wong is a shy PhD student who is so far in the closet he's almost back out the other side. He's had a crush on the rugged handome cop who patrols the university campus, but feels too shy to do anything about it. Instead, he just wishes and fantasises about what life with Dave Pearce might be like.
His family doesn't know he's gay and Danny feels like he is letting them down by not being normal, but not being straight and marrying a woman to have children with.
But one night after almost being attacked by a mugger with a knife, Dave is there to rescue him and that night stirs the beginnings of their relationship.
Dave is a troubled man and feels he doesn't deserve love. Abused as children, he and his best friend John became lovers as teenagers, but John didn't recover from what he suffered and after seventeen years together he committed sucide.
Dave is afraid that he if lets anyone get too close, he will only hurt them further and he tries his best to not get involved with Danny. Hard to do when he has fallen in love with him and doesn't know how he will face life without him. Crisis after crisis seems to follow, but still Danny hangs in there and tries to get Dave to see that he too is a man deserving of love, no matter what happened in the past. But can he ever get Dave to believe it?
This was a wonderful, romantic story with a side serving of angst, but it doesn't become overpowering. There is hope in the story too and I adored how Dave got Danny to come out of his shell more. I loved both Danny and Dave, although at times I did get confused as to who was who -the names sounded so similar.
Well-written with sensual love scenes, but some made be blink a bit. The characters discuss safe sex and then decide NOT to use it. It would have been better for it not to be mentioned at all and then I could pretend that this was a universe where STDs didn't exist. As it was, mentioning it and then not using protection seemed odd to me. There was also one scene were the only lubrication was saliva. Ouch! I was glad to see later scenes had some more lube.
But all in all I very much enjoyed the story and I would certainly read more by this author in the future.
***
Giveaway
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Book Review & Giveaway: Healing Fire by Sean Michael
Healing Fire
Sean Michael
Genre: Gay Fantasy, Dragon Shifter
Publisher: ARe Books
Date of Publication: August 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-943576-18-0
Word Count: 41,000
Cover Artist: Erin Dameron Hill
4 Stars
Book Description:
What will it take for a dragon prince to defy his father and fly on his own?
Prince Jules, the least favorite of the Dragon King's children, lives simply, banished to his rooms and the amazing adventures found in his books. He has never left the palace or shifted into his dragon form…he's never done anything.
Dragon shifter Lem is assigned to Jules as the prince's new bodyguard, and is determined to keep Jules safe from the Graithen, who killed the prince’s previous guardian. Lem grows to hate how the King hides Jules away, and longs to show him how to fly. His love for Jules also grows but it is forbidden, like so much in Jules' life.
When the Graithen attack again, though, everything changes.
Review:
Considred the runt of the litter, Prince Jules is the least favourite and banished to his rooms and never allowed to leave them. His only friend and companion is his bodyguard, Mabon, and the only life Jules lives is through his books. He's a prisoner in the royal castle and everything that a normal shifter can do is forbidden for him. He isn't allowed to change form, he isn't allowed to fly and he isn't allowed to venture beyond his rooms or the small courtyard enclosing them.
When Mabon is killed in an attack by the Graithen, Jules despairs. He doesn't eat, he barely sleeps and he hardly ever ventures outside, into the warmth of the sun which his dragon needs.
Lem is assigned as his new bodyguard and gradually Lem takes Jules out of his shell, getting him to eat, to go outside and to get some much needed rest. The more Jules recovers, the more enamoured Lem becomes of him. But Jules is a royal, Lem is a commoner bodyguard. Love between them would not be allowed, much like everything else in Jules' life. There are no bars on Jules' gilded cage, but it is a cage nontheless and Lem yearns to break the prince free of it.
Soon it becomes clear that Jules is not the runt of the litter at all, but something much bigger and unique.
I have read a few Sean Michael books before and while those were more on the erotic/raunchy side, this one feels more romantic to me. Not that to say there isn't sex in it, it's a Sean Michael book, of course there's sex ;) but this one delves deeper into the emotions of the characters. Most of the book only features Lem and Jules, with scant appearances by a few side characters. It meant that the reader was feeling as isolated as those two were within the confines of the castle rooms and then later on in the mountain caves. This was most definitely a story of Lem and Jules, rather than a story of the world they inhabit.
I would have liked a bit more world-buliding and a bit more build-up to discovering what the strange markings on Jules' hands were. The explanation happened rather suddenly and it fell a bit flat. Some of the love scenes were so sweet they could make your teeth ache, with lots of endearments and promises of forever which I don't normally care for. But here I liked it, as it fitted these two characters and what they would say. Jules is very naive and inexperienced but Jules knew what he wanted and pursues Lem as much as Lem pursues him.
All in all, an enjoyable, romantic read.
Available at ARe
***
About the Author:
Sean Michael, often referred to as "Space Cowboy" and "Gangsta of Love" while still striving for the moniker of "Maurice," spends his days surfing, smutting, organizing his immense gourd collection and fantasizing about one day retiring on a small secluded island peopled entirely by horseshoe crabs. While collecting vast amounts of vintage gay pulp novels and mood rings, Sean whiles away the hours between dropping the f-bomb and pursuing the Kama Sutra by channeling the long lost spirit of John Wayne and singing along with the soundtrack to "Chicago."
A long-time writer of complicated haiku, currently Sean is attempting to learn the advanced arts of plate spinning and soap carving sex toys.
Barring any of that? He'll stick with writing his stories, thanks, and rubbing pretty bodies together to see if they spark.
For more information on other books by Sean, visit his official website: www.SeanMichaelWrites.com
https://twitter.com/seanmichael09
http://seanmichaelwrites.blogspot.ca/
http://www.seanmichaelwrites.com/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/452671.Sean_Michael
***
Tour giveaway
2 eBooks from any ARe Books imprint/series.
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Book Review: Baby's on Fire by AF Henley
Baby's on Fire
by AF Henley
M/M Historical & Contemporary/1990s/1970s/Glam Rock
Less Than Three Press
4 Stars
Buy Links: Amazon | LT3 Press
In 1974 Gerry Faun gets the break of his life—an opportunity to meet gorgeous, openly bisexual, glam-rock idol Mark Devon. Mark's world is new, exciting, and Gerry finally gets to explore the side of his sexuality that he's kept hidden. But the press is everywhere, and when Gerry's father gets wind of what's going on behind his back, Gerry ends up on the street. Mark offers to let Gerry come along with the tour and Gerry jumps at the chance. The tour is a never-ending party—and the start of what seems to be a perfect relationship for him and Mark. Until Mark's manager decides Gerry isn't worth the trouble he's stirring up.
In 1994 Gerry is finally coming out of some tough times—he has a job that pays the bills, a car that hasn't quite broken down, and a small rental in Jersey City. After a decade of barely getting by, if life was as good as it was going to get, Gerry figures he'll manage just fine. It would be easier if he wasn't still haunted by the man the media won't let him forget, the man who stole his heart and then broke it… the man that's shown up pleading for a second chance.
***
Review:
The mid-1970s. Glam rock, glitter, make-up on men, flares, platform shoes and music that takes the world by storm. Twenty year old Gerry Faun is enamoured of glam rock star, Mark Devon, aka Maxx Starlight. When offered the chance to go backstage after a concert, he jumps at the chance, feeling he is more likely to meet his idol back there, than out at the front.
Gerry does indeed get to meet his idol, and more than that. Their one night of passion leaves him hungering for more and Gerry gets careless. When the papers show a kiss between Mark and Gerry splashed across the front pages, Gerry's father throws him out and he has nowhere else to turn but to Mark. At first, Mark's manager, Phil, is keen to have Gerry around, as is a handsome young man and he can put a great spin on their relationship for the papers. But gradually as the two young men become closer, Phil wants to break them up.
Gerry soon finds himself on tour with the band, and everything that entails. Nights of partying, drugs, drinking and orgies. It's not what Gerry wanted: he only wants to be with Mark and could care less about the rest of it.
Mark has been generous to a fault, buying Gerry a whole new wardrobe of clothes and even given him a diamond earring for his twenty-first birthday. But all Gerry wanted was to have a romantic dinner with Mark, just the two of them. But Mark's manipulative manager, Phil, has other plans and keeps pulling the rug out from under them.
And one day, Gerry just has had enough and leaves. He hopes Mark will follow him, plead with him to go back. But he never does, not until twenty years later. But is he twenty years too late?
I'm a bit young to quite remember the Glam Rock scene, but I think the author has painted a fairly accurate picture, from what I can gather. My husband adores the music and yes, he had flares and platform shoes back in the day - he's a bit older than me. Gerry is a sympathetic character, which helps a lot as the book is told only from his point of view. I would have liked to have been able to see inside Mark's head as well to see what he was feeling too.
The book alternates chapters in the 1970s and Gerry's present day of the 1990s and while not a favourite tactic of mine, it works quite well here. The contrast between Gerry's two lives is stark: from the glitz and glamour of the rock world to his small house that he can't even afford to heat properly.
There are a couple of explicit scenes, but they were very tastefully done and flowed with the story, they didn't feel tacked on just for the sake of having a sex scene or two.
Some scenes I just couldn't relate to at all, because I hate parties and so they wouldn't have felt fun for me in real life either. But some people do like parties, I just didn't find reading about them that interesting.
But all in all I enjoyed the book and watching all the ups and downs of Gerry's and Mark's relationship was fascinating. They were such intriguing characters and for some people meeting their idol would be something like a dream come true.
I won't spoil the ending, you'll just have to read it to find out more.
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