Sunday, October 30, 2016

Review tour: Crashing Waves by CJ Baty

Crashing Waves - CJ Baty


October 17 - BooksLaidBareBoys
October 18 - My Fiction Nook
October 24 - Bayou Book Junkie

Series 

Drifting Sands (The Warfield Hotel Mysteries #1)

Crashing Waves (The Warfield Hotel Mysteries #2)

Blurb

Justin Warfield ran away to Italy to put the events of last summer and a certain dark-haired private eye behind him, to no avail. If anything, he can’t help but rehash what happened over and over. When he finally returns to South Carolina, the hotel he runs with his brother has suffered a series of incidents that are starting to look less accidental after a death threat is received.

Not satisfied that Moses Lee and his local police will find the culprit, Peter Warfield calls in the services of his good friend Marcus Drummond to help. Marcus is torn. He wants to help his friend, but he also knows that if Justin has moved on after their failed flirtation last summer, he will be devastated.

Tensions mount as danger seems to follow them at every turn, stalking them as they get closer to solving the mystery of who is behind the sabotage of the hotel.


Author Bio

C. J. Baty lives in southwest Ohio. Her heart, however, lives in the mountains of Tennessee where she hopes to retire some day. The mountains have always provided her with inspiration and a soothing balm to the stresses of everyday life.

The dream of writing her own stories started in high school but was left on the back burner of life until her son introduced her to fan fiction and encouraged her to give it a try. She found that her passion for telling a story was still there and writing them down to share with others was much more thrilling than she had ever expected.


She has a loving and supportive family who don't mind fixing their own meals when she is in the middle of a story, and a network of friends who have encouraged and cheered her on in her quest of being an author.

One thing she has learned from life and she is often heard to say is: “You are never too old to follow your dream!”

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 Advanced reader copy not available for review.

Friday, October 28, 2016

Cover reveal: Alpha Barman by Sue Brown

Sue Brown - Alpha Barman

Release Date: November 24 2016

Blurb

Jake Tyler walked out of Special Ops two years ago, a devastated, broken man after he discovered his sister brutally murdered by her husband, Riley. Since then he’s found a kind of peace running a rural bar. The last thing Jake Tyler expects is his former team to turn up with grim news. Jake’s ex-brother-in-law has escaped from prison and is heading Jake’s way. The team is here to protect Jake, whether he likes it or not – a decision reluctantly shared by their leader, Jake’s ex-lover Mitch Mitchelson.

Mitch is angry and hurting. The man he trusted – the man he adored more than anything – abandoned both his team and Mitch. Jake never gave Mitch a chance to help or come to terms with his desertion. Regardless of mission protocols, Mitch isn’t about to open his heart again to that kind of pain.

But the strong attraction between them can’t be denied. How are they ever going to work together when Mitch still resents Jake’s disappearance, and to Jake, the team represents everything that destroyed him in the first place? And meantime they wait for Riley to find them... and to settle the threat once and for all.


Author Bio

Sue Brown is owned by her dog and two children. When she isn't following their orders, she can be found plotting at her laptop. In fact she hides so she can plot, and has become an expert at ignoring the orders.

 Sue discovered M/M erotica at the time she woke up to find two men kissing on her favorite television series. She had an Aha moment and put pen to paper that same day. Sue may be late to the party, but she's made up for it since, writing fan fiction until she was brave enough to venture out into the world of original fiction.

Come over and talk to Sue at:
sue@suebrownstories.com
Her website can be found at:
http://www.suebrownstories.com/


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Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Review tour: All Hallows' Eve by Annabelle Jacobs

Annabelle Jacobs - All Hallows' Eve

Author: Annabelle Jacobs

Cover Design: Natasha Snow

Length: 81,000 words

Buy Links: Amazon US Amazon UK

Blurb

Will a centuries-old broken heart ruin the promise of new love?

Dominic Ashworth is descended from a long line of witches, although the family practice of witchcraft died out generations ago. Forever connected to a dark history, the house he grew up in remained in the Ashworth family for generations until his estranged father sold it.

On a mission to check out the new owners, Dominic runs into Caleb Jones and gives the gorgeous man his phone number—but getting a date should be the last thing on Dominic’s agenda.



Caleb and his best friend, Zach Briceworth, are oblivious to the heartache and magic tied to the foundations of their new home. When strange things start to happen, the truth emerges and surprises them both, especially as everything revolves around Caleb’s new love interest.



After a shaky start, Caleb and Dominic settle into an easy relationship, falling faster than either of them expected. But with Halloween approaching, the possibility of danger increases. The past is not always as it seems, and the ripples of a tragic event threaten to put an end to everything between them.
Author Bio

Annabelle Jacobs lives in the South West of England with three rowdy children, and two cats. An avid reader of fantasy herself for many years, Annabelle now spends her days writing her own stories. They're usually either fantasy or paranormal fiction, because she loves building worlds filled with magical creatures, and creating stories full of action and adventure. Her characters may have a tough time of it—fighting enemies and adversity—but they always find love in the end.

Author Links

Twitter – https://twitter.com/AJacobs_fiction

Website – www.annabellejacobs.com

Email – ajacobsfiction@gmail.com

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ajacobsfiction


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To quote Mr. Spock, 'Fascinating'. All Hallow's Eve is undoubtedly one of the best paranormal stories I've ever had the chance to read.

Tired of all the vampire/werewolves stories, which seems to be the mainstay of the paranormal stories these days? I am not by any means disparaging those stories. There are some really great ones. Sometimes you just want to read a paranormal story of a different type.

All Hallow's Eve definitely fits the bill. It's a love story about two men, both of whom are almost identical in appearance to their respective ancestors.

Strange, inexplicable things and dreams start occurring when the two men meet and start getting to know each other, especially when one of the men moves into the ancient dwelling of the others' ancestors.

To say anymore would give spoilers, which I will not do.

I really like the two main characters, Caleb and Dominic. They're really well written, as are the supporting characters Dominic's sister Alice, their Aunt Sarah and Caleb's best friend and housemate Zack.

The story moves along smoothly and at a steady pace. Some of the plot points can be figured out somewhat easily, whereas most of them draw the response, 'Holy s**t. Didn't see that coming.'

All in all, All Hallow's Eve is a great read, one that should definitely be read ON All Hallow's Eve (Halloween).

On a scale of 1 to 5, I rate it a 5 and recommend it strongly.

Sunday, October 23, 2016

New release from Melissa Foster: Tempting Tristian

Tempting Tristan (A Sexy Standalone M/M Romance)
Series: Harborside Nights Author: Melissa Foster
Release Date: October 19, 2016
Tempting Tristan is a stand-alone M/M romance featuring two sexy, hot alphas.
Fresh off the heels of yet another bad relationship, Tristan Brewer is taking a break from men to try and figure out where he keeps going wrong. He knows his biggest fault--he leads with his heart, not his head--and that's never going to change. But after several introspective weeks, he's beginning to get a handle on things. That is, until badass heartthrob Alex Wells walks into his bar...
Alex has spent eight years in the Army, months in a hospital bed, and far too long hiding his sexual identity. He's guilt-ridden, damaged, pissed off, and up for a Silver Star--for the incident that nearly cost him his life, and kept him from his grandmother's funeral. But all he wants to do is forget his stint with the institution that allows but doesn't necessarily accept, and live the life he's always dreamed of.
The chemistry between Tristan and Alex ignites from the moment they meet, and the more time they spend together the hotter the flames become. But the closer Tristan gets, the more Alex's walls go up, and when the two walk onto a military base, Tristan finds out Alex's physical scars aren't the ones that run the deepest.
***
HARBORSIDE NIGHTS is a sexy, hot, and evocatively real series of stand-alone romances that follows a group of friends who have known one another for years as "summer" friends, and now come together after college to build their lives. They're tough, edgy, and accepting--most of the time. This series is written in the same loving, raw, and emotional voice readers have come to love by New York Times & USA Today bestselling, award-winning author Melissa Foster with LGBT themes.

"Melissa Foster is synonymous with sexy, swoony, heartfelt romance!" New York Times Bestseller Lauren Blakely
"With her wonderful characters and resonating emotions, Melissa Foster is a must-read author!" New York Times Bestseller J. Kenner
We step forward at the same time, and he presses his rough hand to my cheek. “I don’t know what kind of pussies you went out with before, but I wanted to fucking claim you in there.”
He slides a hand around my waist, tugging our bodies together. I feel every hard inch of him, and he’s got me so hot I’m sure we’re going to combust.
“I’ve spent almost nine years hiding who I am, and I’m not willing to do it anymore,” he says through clenched teeth. “Not here, where I came to start over. Where I came to live on my terms without the goddamn military hanging over my head.”
“I have no interest in hiding,” I assure him.
“You’re sure? Because I really want to kiss you right now, and I don’t care who sees us.”
I respond by pulling his mouth to mine, my break from men long forgotten. We stumble backward, crashing into the railing, fighting for dominance as we did yesterday morning. The passion between us has a life of its own. My hands claw over his ass, up his back. I want to strip him down and take all of him. I want to discover why he’s so rough and learn what about those shadows that are lurking behind his gorgeous eyes. Instead I take, and give, and take more of the angry kisses. When we finally tear our mouths apart, my body’s still reeling, and we both curse under our breaths.
“Okay?” he pants out.
I nod, knowing if I open my mouth, I want to fuck you, is going to come out.
“Can I ask you something? You don’t have to answer.”
Tristan shrugs. “Have at it.”
“Why were you taking a break? I get that your ex was a prick, but is there more to it?”
He looks down the street, across the street, and then his hand cruises through his hair as it has so often that I’ve already come to expect it when he’s nervous.
“Ian was a prick, but the rest is going to make me sound like a pussy,” he admits.
“I’ve only known you a day, and I already know nothing can make you sound like a pussy.”
He meets my gaze, and his jaw tightens. He lifts his chin and I recognize the struggle between feeling proud and worrying about looking weak. I fight that battle on a daily basis.
“I give away my heart too easily, and I end up getting hurt.”
His eyes never leave mine, and that trust, that confidence, is the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.
“I was right. Nothing can make you sound like a pussy.” I slide my hand to the hard ridge of his jaw and lean in closer. “I’ve never given my heart away. That makes you braver than me.”
Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance, new adult romance (M/F, M/M, F/F), romantic suspense, thrillers, and historical fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Melissa's emotional journeys are lovingly erotic and always family oriented. Her books have been recommended by USA Today's book blog, Hagerstown Magazine, The Patriot, and several other print venues. She is the founder of the World Literary Café. When she's not writing, Melissa helps authors navigate the publishing industry through her author training programs on Fostering Success.
Melissa has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Her interests include her family, reading, writing, painting, friends, helping others see the positive side of life, and visiting Cape Cod.
Melissa is available to chat with book clubs and welcomes comments and emails from her readers. Visit Melissa on Facebook or her personal website.
Never miss a brand new release, special promotions or inside gossip again by simply signing up to receive your newsletter from Melissa.
HOSTED BY:

Two broken men. One with scars on the inside. One with scars on both the inside and the outside. Can the two men, whose mutual attraction at first sight, fix each other? If so, how? can each man deal with the others' baggage as well as their own? These questions need to be answered, but are there answers? The answers lie in the heart of Tempting Tristian.

It's easy for me to identify with both men as I've been where both are and I still have the scars. I'm sure there are many others out there who can identify as well. Like Tristian, I tend to wear my heart on my sleeve. Like Alex, I had to hide my sexuality while in the military.

That being said, I can attest to the well thought out, realistic plot. Some of the plot points are handled with delicacy, some not so much.

The lovable characters are an interesting mix. They'll make you laugh. They'll make you cry. They'll make you ask 'really?'. They'll make you want to hit them upside the head with a two-by-four. The interactions of these in-depth, well-developed characters provide the ultimate answers to the questions above.

And what might those answers be? Read Tempting Tristian and find out for yourself. You won't be disappointed.

On a scale of 1 to 5, I rate Tempting Tristian a 5 and everyone should put it on their 'must read' list.

Well done, Ms. Foster. Well done.
 

Thursday, October 20, 2016

Blog tour: Touchdown (Game Day Series Book 1) by TS McKinney

Title: Touchdown
Series: Game Day Series Book 1
Author: TS McKinney
Publisher - Dark Hollows Press
Genre: M/M Romance
Published: September 7, 2016
Alexander Bryant has lived his entire life making everyone else happy. After meeting Lincoln, will he have the courage to finally do what makes him happy?
Alexander – I like to consider myself a rebel – an ass-kicker that takes what he wants regardless of what others think. I make my own path and flip off the people who don’t agree. I laugh in the face of conflict. Nobody tells me what to do.
In reality, everything about me is a lie – past, present, and future. The Bryant family name requires certain things and all my decisions are based on those requirements. I like football, but the family name demands I love it. I want to be an artist, but the family name demands I be a lawyer. The family demands I fall in love with a nice girl, but I’m falling for, well, the opposite of nice AND girl. I’m a coward and a liar.
Lincoln – I like to imagine myself a loner – a cold heartless bastard that takes what he wants. I lived the biggest part of my life with parents that were ashamed of me for more reasons that one could begin to count, so I trust no one. I have a low tolerance for bullshit and hate liars. So why did I go and fall in love with the biggest liar of them all?
“Sexy, charming, hot and delightful book!” - Amazon Review 
“Touchdown is funny, naughty and delightful” - Amazon Review 
“Super sexy and sassy!!” - MM Book Escape

Alexander
I lay there, or at least I think I’m lying down on some sort of soft surface. Soft and cozy. Smells nice. Yeah, it feels like a mattress, but it also feels like I’m floating on a fluffy cloud. I can hear things, some soft music playing, but it sounds like everything is so far away. I’m toasty warm. Even in my sluggish mind I know I’ve never felt this relaxed in my entire life. I can’t explain it – other than I never want the feeling to go away.
I should probably open my eyes and try to at least wake up, but it feels so damned good that I keep them clenched tightly together. There’s a nagging twitch in the back of my mind, telling me something isn’t quite right and I should be concerned, very concerned, but I don’t want to listen. I try to shut out my mind and focus only on what my body is saying.
I want to relax and enjoy whatever the hell this is. I don’t use drugs, but I’m pretty sure I’m going to start if this is the result of pill popping. Did I drink too much? Nope; if I had, I’d be feeling more like a rattlesnake being poked instead of a cuddly slug cocooned someplace…that smelled so damned nice. What the hell was that scent? I liked it. I’m pretty sure if I was able, it would turn me on. For the first time in my life, I feel like I might not have the energy to even get it up…and it feels so good that I don’t even care.
What had I been doing? Where was I? What had happened and how could I make it happen again?
“Alexander.” A husky voice invaded my state of peace and relaxation.
I peeked an eye open and immediately wished I hadn’t. Fuck. Fuck. Double fuck. What the double fuck? I tried to scramble away from the man looming over me but my limbs felt like fucking jelly that had been left out in the sun. My arms wouldn’t work. My fucking legs wouldn’t work. The only thing that was fucking working was the voice inside my head screaming for me to run for my fucking life. Well, shit. I’m naked. Yep, naked and apparently I’m in another man’s bed. I don’t belong in the beds of other men. Nope, not me. Especially not the bed of Lincoln Montgomery, spanker of bare asses.
“Calm down, Alexander,” Lincoln said in that deep, sexier than sexy voice. “You’re going to feel weak after our scene. It’s natural so don’t be alarmed. Don’t move,” he ordered as he turned away to reach for something. Before I could even consider trying to at least slide across the bed and belly crawl for the window so I could jump to my death, he was back around and offering me a bottle of water. No way was I drinking that shit. I’m sure it’s drugged; just like whatever I drank last night had to have been drugged. That’s why I was feeling so weak. And fucking wonderful.
Oh, shit. The scene! I had actually let another man spank me with a crop. In front of a crowd. Practically naked. I’m pretty sure I begged for it. I eyed the window again, calculating if I could make it before Lincoln grabbed me and hauled me back to his bed. Sure, I’d die naked and humiliate my parents and grandparents, but that would have to be their fucking problem. For the first time in my life, they would just have to deal with me breaking the rules. Technically, I suppose, I wasn’t breaking them. Mother just always said to have clean underwear on in case you are in an accident. I suppose in her mind no underwear would surely beat dirty underwear.
“Stop acting like a child, Alexander. We’re on the tenth floor. You would splatter,” Lincoln scolded. “Now drink your water. After an especially intense scene, you need plenty of rest and fluids. You’ve gotten the rest, so let’s drink our water, shall we?”
Apparently he could read my mind. Perfect.
“I don’t want your water, Lincoln. You’re probably just trying to drug me again,” I spat. Hell, I knew he hadn’t drugged me, but it sounded a hell of a lot better than I was stone-cold sober when I stripped in front of strangers and let a grown-ass man spank me. Oh wait, I’m also naked in his comfy bed. We probably fucked, too.
It gets better and better.
I wiggle a bit to see if I’m sore in places I shouldn’t be sore. Yep, I sure the fuck am. Of course that could very well be from the spanking I received, but, then again, it could be from something much worse. Shit, did I let this man fuck me? Double shit, why does the thought of that not piss me off like it should?
“Are you implying I’ve drugged you, Alexander?” Lincoln asked as he opened the bottle of water. I opened my mouth to tell him I damned straight thought he drugged me, but before I could get it out, he had scooped up my head and forced the bottle against my lips. “Drink,” he ordered.
So I drank it.
“Very good,” he praised and I glowed like a fucking moron. Why the hell would I care if he was happy or not? I should be feeling the opposite. Actually, I should probably punch him the face – if only my damned arms didn’t feel like a ton of lead. Since an angry glare was the only weapon I possessed at the moment, I glared. And glared. And glared.
He laughed – the motherfucker.
“You’ve got a pretty pout, Alexander. I’m sure you use it to get your way on most occasions, but it won’t work with me so put it away. Don’t waste your time and mine.”
His voice sounded like a growl. A very sexy, very arousing growl. Something inside of me wanted to purr. I settled for, “Fuck off, Lincoln.”
“Do you remember what happened earlier?” He pulled a chair right up against the bed and leaned closer to me than I felt comfortable with. No, scratch that. He leaned closer than I wanted to feel comfortable with. As it turns out, what I think I want and what my body wants might be two different things, as in on opposite ends of the chart. My head is screaming “no” but my body is dying to get closer to him. As my nostrils flare, I realize the scent that has been driving me crazy with lust is none other than Lincoln Montgomery. Could it get any worse?
“I’m straight,” I blurted out, trying to convince myself more than Lincoln. “Not gay.” Yeah, clarify it like he didn’t have a clue what straight meant. I’m a fucking idiot.
He smiled. It was one of those indulgent smiles that parents give children when they say or do something ridiculous. “Yes, thank you for telling me, Alexander. Again.”
Oh yeah, I had already told him that. Shit.
“Don’t worry. Straight men end up on the other end of my crop and then naked in my bed all the time.” Another indulgent smile. “It happens alllll the time.” He mocked.
“Did we?” I asked. I had to know. Shit, I didn’t want to know.
“Did we what?” Lincoln asked with a smirk. He knew damned well what I wanted to know. “Did we fuck?” I hissed, furious he made me say it and even more furious at the blush creeping across my body.
Lincoln remained perfectly quiet and I knew the delay was only meant to make me suffer as long as humanly possible. His eyes, a deep midnight blue, twinkled with merriment at my expense. I wasn’t sure of a hell of a lot of things at the moment, but I was one hundred percent certain that if Lincoln had fucked me, I enjoyed it. There was an aura of arrogance that he wore like a second skin – not the stupid kind of arrogance, but the kind that one got from being told how incredibly awesome they were. At fucking. He was probably awesome at fucking.
Finally, he said, “Trust me, Alexander; you would know it if I’d fucked you.” He leaned closer to me. “Every inch of you, inside and out, would know you’d been properly fucked.” His hot breath tickled my cheek as he spoke the words…the words that tickled me somewhere else. Fuck. How horrifying would it be if my cock got hard right about now? Pretty fucking horrifying.
“Plus, you’re straight, remember?”
T.S. McKinney lives in East Tennessee with her high school sweetheart/husband and all the countless dogs she picks up from deserted country roads. Her professional career has been in business but her heart has always belonged to the fantasy world found in books.
Creating wicked worlds where one can meet the perfect hero – and then do anything to him that you want – has been a hobby that has brought her plenty of hours of fun and naughty entertainment. When not working, reading, or writing, she loves to spend time with my family and forcing them (because they don’t really have another choice) to allow me to redecorate their houses…and listen to my naughty…sometimes sadistic stories.
HOSTED BY:
When I first agreed to review this book, I didn't realize exactly what I was going to be reading. As I read on it didn't take me long to understand that I was almost complete ignorant of the lifestyle being depicted here. Some things I knew about like safe words, others were completely foreign. In my ignorance I had considered the BDSM lifestyle to be abusive. I was wrong.

I learned quite a bit about it from reading Touchdown, and one aspect stood out and that the Dom took care of the Sub afterwards and I was happy to see that there is love there.

That being said, I found Touchdown to be amazing. Seeing the two sides of Alexander, the hidden self and the forced self, the contrast was unbelievable as what caused Alexander to hide his true self and how his forced self came about.

Even though the BDSM lifestyle is not for me, I found it quite interesting. For that, I give kudos to the author.

I do have to say that I was a little disappointed in the ending. I felt there were situations unresolved.

Being as Touchdown is billed as Game Day Series Book 1, I'm pretty sure that the unresolved situations will be resolved in book 2.

On a scale of 1 to 5 I give it a 4.75 and will definitely be interested in reading the next book in the series.