BLURB: Will a photographer be swept off his feet by a duke whoās more disheveled than dashing?
Itās Valentineās Day and itās Billy last shift at The Chelsea Bunn. His photography career never took off, so itās time to leave London, parcel up the leftover heart-shaped cakes and head back home to Hampshire.
Rumpled Charlie and his two mischievous dogs are Billyās favourite customers, so when Charlie turns up at closing jtime with a mysterious wrapped gift and the offer of a whirlwind trip on the London Eye, Billy canāt say no. But Charlie is keeping a secret that could turn Billyās world happily upside down.
As the snow falls over London and the big wheel grinds to a halt, Billy discovers that wishes arenāt just for Christmas.Ā
REVIEW: Of all the novellas in this collection, this is got to be one of my favorite. This is such a cute and sweet story. This gives us Billy. Billy is a photographer who moved to London with the hopes of building a successful business but he decides to pack it all and seeing us things havenāt gone quite as he had planned. Then one day in walks Charlie and his two adorable dogs and presents Billy with yet another better plan.
The thing with plan is is that they donāt always go the way we want expects or even wants them to. In this instance Billyās life takes a happy direction things to Charlie and his two adorable fur babies.
These two characters in the flow of the story is nicely paced. The authors managed to spend quite a tale is such a short length. Even with that, the characters and storylines were well thought out and presented.
As usual, these authors put forth a story that is wonderful is sweet. The characters are delightful and the storyline is lovely. This novella brought a smile to my face reading it.
BLURB: Elaine MacLeod, the most feared and revered Mistress of Rowan House, is frustrated. Overworked, still hurt and angry over the departure of her long-term lover, she refuses to admit Rowan House needs another Mistress to accommodate their guests. Unconvinced anyone will be able to meet her high standards, Elaine grudgingly agrees to audition the sole applicant, Petra Grendhal.
Robin Broadacre would do anything for the woman who rescued her from certain death at the hands of her previous employers. When she volunteers to assist Petra with her audition, Elaine is forced to reckon with her desire for Robin. Drawn to Petraās fiery strength and icy demeanor as well Robinās devotion, Elaine finds herself torn between her passion for both women. When Petra disappears on a trip to Oslo, Elaine and Robinās search leads them to menaces from Robinās past and a fight for their lives.
REVIEW: This is the 5th book in the Rowan House series and it is excellent! This is a series and Iāve started on this book first. Even though it can be read as a standalone, I feel that they should be read in sequential order as it would be beneficial to give you a better feel of who everyone is when theyāre mentioned.
This book was extremely well written. The character development, storyline and flow of this book is top notch. This author has a true talent for writing that should definitely be touted; her ability to make her characters so that youāre able to easily Ā connect with them is just brilliant. The women in her stories are strong, confident, complex and always relatable. What I particularly loved about this story is how it explores dominance and submission; and how that power exchange manifests between women.
Even visual presentation of this book is stunning. The gorgeous cover models, the color pallets, font types, it all blends together to form the perfect vessel for the beautifully written story within.
Brenda Murphy did an exceptional job with this book and reading it has definitely motivated me to purchase the rest in the series.
Ian Banner is loving his hectic life. Heās newly married, ready to start a family, and opening a new restaurant. All his dreams are coming true.
The last thing he needs is a problem with his restaurant.
But when one attack after another comes, he grows convinced he has another enemy.
Ian tries to handle things by himself, but his friends are soon drawn in when the attacks become violent. Thatās when Ian realizes the target isnāt Rialto. Itās him.
Rialto is the final installment in the Unbreakable Bonds series and features sexy times, Daciana snuggles, overprotective family, fire, and of course, code names.Ā
REVIEW: This book was bittersweet. This is the last time will read about these wonderful men in their adventurous, chaotic, dangerous and lovely lives. But this finale is the series on the sweetest of high notes
The dynamic duo of Jocelyn Drake and Rinda Elliott brought Lucas, Snow, Rowe and Ian together for one last adventure before they settle down to live out the rest of their days as happily married fathers. That is unless Rowe and Noah a.k.a. the Master of Mayhem find some trouble for them all to get into.
Ian is the sole focus of the final installment in the series. As with the rest of the books in the series featuring him, this centers his past life. Ianās characterāto meāis the toughest. I say this because this man survived a horrific ordeal to become the man that he is today. But of course, even from the grave it seems that the man responsible for his horrific pass is still finding ways to intrude on the happiness and success that he has made for himself.
Ianās story has always rip my heart apart. I love the story because in this book, Ian is able to confront, not one from, his past. Not only that, but heās proved to Lucas, Snow and Rowe that heās much tougher than theyāand even heā realized.Ā
He truly came to his own in this book and it may the rest of his family finally sit up and take notice that heās not someone who needs to be wrapped in cotton, insulated from the evils of the world. He prove to them that he was able to handle himself and to protect them if needed and times of extreme danger and it was a glorious thing to finally witness.
The love these men have for each other practically leap off the pages of this book. It is beautifully written; the characters a vivid, bursting with energy that makes each word of each sentence of each paragraph a treat. The action, adventure and romance of these stories are extremely well written; they immediately grab your attention and hold it from the first page read to the very last.
Youāll experience a roller coaster of emotions with this book. Youāll go from having a lump in your throat from heartbreak to having you laughing out loud at their antics to feeling joy at their triumphs.
This book will linger indelibly on the brain long after you finished reading it.
Brilliant surgeon Galen Jayr has given up on love and moved halfway across the world to escape heartbreak. While working at a relief hospital in Alaska, Galen meets and befriends Navojan, an alien living on Earth but hiding his true identity as a being from another planet.
Over the course of their unlikely friendship, Galen and Navojan spend their days working and spending time together, often discussing their favorite books. It never occurs to Galen that Navojan has a flair for writing himself, until one day he happens upon Navojan’s open tablet and his unfinished romance novel.
The steamy contents of the novel activate Galen’s imagination, sending his feelings for Navojan into overdrive. Could the human character in Navojan’s book be a stand-in for Galen himself? Galen is completely distracted by dreams and fantasies of his friend, whose physiology feels pain as pleasure, and whose features–among them, a tail–are so very alien.
This short read is full of passion and sensuality, exploring the relationship between pleasure and pain, and detailing an alien/human love affair that is a bit sweet, a bit strange, and extremely, delightfully sexy.
REVIEW: I feel compelled to start by saying that science fiction, futuristic, alien/human or dystopia themed books are not my cup of tea, hot or cold. However, the the blurb for this novella piqued my interest. Deciding to step outside of my familiar zone, I gave it a shot.
I am really glad that I did!
Because if I hadnāt, I wouldāve missed out on a really great story. This novella was sweet, sensual and sexy. The characters, although a bit strange, were quite interesting. Here you have Galen, a human and Navojan, an alien running from their past lives. In this futuristic semi dystopian world, these two manage for find each other and form a friendship based on a love of literature and companionship. I also feel that their mutual loneliness is something that also brought them together.
Navojanās character especially drew me in. Here you have this sweet and gentle alien man who altered himself to fit into this planet, this which for him is backwards and somewhat primitive. Youāre able to feel that heās homesick but understands that he canāt return. Heās not a fan of this planet but his friendship with Galen makes it bearable. Thereās a trust and a genuine love he feels for his friend.
Galen has always been attracted to his friend but didnāt want to act on it, not totally sure if Navojan shared the same feelings. His attraction reaches new heights when he discovers a few pages of draft of Navās book.
The journey these two make together is beautifully written. This is strange story but not in at all in a bad way. Quite the opposite, in fact. This story is truly outside the box. The author successfully combines science fiction with sensual romance and erotica. And it was very well done.
This story pleasantly surprised me! I am really glad that I decided to step outside my comfort zone and read this novella. This author also did a great job making this novella feel like you were reading a full length book.
BLURB: At only thirty-two, Bishop Stockley has lived a hard-knock life. His gang was his family, the streets his home. Until the crew heād always called his brothers betrayed him. After doing five years in a federal prison, Bishop is back at his dadās trailer and working for his landscaping company, thrust into a legit world where heās no longer the alphaāa world where a criminal record is the least of his disadvantages, because Bishop canāt read or write. Illiteracy had never been an obstacle for him on the streets, he didnāt need to know how to read Moby Dick to survive, he needed to know how to read peopleā¦ and that was a hustle heād learned hard and fast. Now, he had to change his life.
Ā
Bishopās only support system was a young, inexperienced dad whoād insisted he call him Mike all their lifeāsince they looked more like brothers than father and son. And his hot-tempered, childhood, best friend from ājuvie, Trent. Bishop already had the deck stacked against him, but he wasnāt afraid of hard work to change his situation, and he did want to change. Especially after he encountered Edison Scala, a kind-spirited office manager who didnāt hesitate to come to his defenseā¦ a man that saw past Bishopās grass-stained coveralls. A man who wasnāt intimidated by his stern features and his silence.
Ā
Edison hadnāt grown up the way most of his peers had. Heād been raised by a single father whoād owned an old-fashioned barber shop where Edison was taught how to not only shave with a straight razor, and shine shoes, but also how to treat others, to not judge, to be a gentleman, to be respectful and speak without profanity. But, the biggest lesson heād learned, was to always be himself. His lack of friends and a social life wasnāt his fault. No matter how much weight he gained, no matter how many times his staff called him a square, Edison did not need to change.
Ā
Bishop knew Edison was off-limits. Heād made personal vows to himself when he was released from prison, ones that he never intended to break. But, when Edison asked him about providing landscaping services at his home, there was no way he could refuse. He hadnāt expected Edison to feed him, praise him, encourage him, and look at him the way he didāas if Bishop was somebody. Mike and Trent warned him not to mix business with pleasure and he didnāt intend to.
Ā
No multiple pairings. No cliffhangers. Ends with a very, very HFN. Warning:
This book is a M/M contemporary romance, a hardened manās struggle to find real love. There are no police chases or doors being kicked in, in this one. But, donāt worry. Bishop is still intense enough to keep you on the edge.Ā
REVIEW: Okay, yāall. Can I tell you how much I loved this book, these characters? Miss Via has done what she always does and spin a story that will make you care for her characters as youāre reading them. Bishop and Edison are two strong men from different backgrounds, yet they seem to find common ground even though they have nothing in common.
Even though Bishop was the main character, it was Edison who spoke to me the most. But Iāll speak on that in a bit.
I particularly loved how the author approached the topic of Bishopās illiteracy. It was handled with kindness and understanding. The author wrote it in a way that didnāt belittle him. Bishop is a flawed hero. A man who like many of us, have made mistakes, faced the consequences of said mistakes and is looking for a little redemption and forgiveness for it. He wants to live his lifeānot necessarily a BEST lifeā but just go along the familiar lines and on the right path of it. He wants to do better and fought hard to BE better. Heās not asking for or expecting the moon and stars, heās just asking for normalcy and stability with a man who sees him as something other than what he was.Ā
Now, to Edison. His character resonated more with me because his kindness, generosity, sweet nature and integrity reminded me of someone I knew a long time ago. Edison is like many of us, one who struggles with poor self image, body issue and low self esteem but to me, his character was beautiful, more beautiful because he had a beautiful spirit and a big heart. I absolutely loved how the author had a character who didnāt have the perfect body and was still find the type of passionate love still. This story had a great deal of body positivity and I loved it and we need to see more of it in the romance genre.
At first glance, one would think heās someone whose weak. But I didnāt find that to be the case at all. Edison is gentle and kind. Respectful. Mature. This comes from him being raised around older gentlemen. This made him a target for bullying by some of his colleagues but his insistence on being who he is is what makes him strong. Ā I adored his character and I adored him and Bishop together. Bishopās gentle toughness combined with Edisonās sweet old world charm is what makes them perfect for each other. Edisonās character was actually like being reunited with my friend. Ā It was amazing.
This author is a master of her craft. Her writing style is absolutely superb. Miss Viaās work is always top notch, regardless of whatever genre she chooses to write. Her characters are ALWAYS vivid, complex and multifaceted. Her dialogues are ALWAYS beautifully written and her storylines are simply perfect. This book flows smoothly. She doesnāt simply tell a story, sheās giving you a front row seat of their thoughts and heart.Ā
This book doesnāt have a traditional HEA and thatās okay because life doesnāt always work that way. You just know that these menās life Journey is just getting started so the HFN ending fits perfectly. This story is memorable and the characters and their experiences will linger long after youāve finished reading this book.
This author and this book is a serious must read. Take a bow, Miss Via. Youāve done an amazing job yet again.
Captain Ambrose āPenā Pendleton might have distinguished himself on the battlefield at Waterloo but since heās come home to civvy street, heās struggled to make his mark.
Amadeo Orsini never made it as a leading man, but as a leading lady heās the toast of the continental stage. Now Cosima is about to face her most challenging role yet, that of Captain Pendletonās secret amour.
With the help of a talking theatrical parrot who never forgets his lines, Orsini throws on his best frock, slaps on the rouge and sets out to save Pen from the clutches of Miss Harriet Tarbottom and her scheming parents.
As friendship turns into love, will the captain be able to write a happy ending for himself and Orsini before the curtain falls?
Reader advisory: This book includes mention of PTSD.
General Release Date: 3rd September 2019
REVIEW: This is the 3rdinstallment to this series and it followed the first two books in the series in that the characters are delightful and vividly written.
The twist is in this story includes a bit of drag which is always fantastic in virtually any occasion. As with the other books, these authors manage to bring their MCs to life. I adored Ambrose aka Pen and Amadeo are my favorite couple in the series so far.
The premise of the story isnāt new by any means but the authors did a fantastic job of making it fresh and bold in that itās set in a Regency timeframe. That to me makes it all the more delightful.
The authorsā ability to transition seamlessly from one book to the next and their ability to maintain their characters is very well done. These stories are like tasty meals. All of these wonderful ingredients and spices combined to create this delicious dish.
Grab a cup of tea, a saucer of fancy scones and curl up with this wonderful read.
BLURB: Codie “Swan” Kerr lost her family when she came out. But Trigger took her under his wings and helped her get through the ERU program to become the first female on the elite squad. But the secret she carries soon becomes an issue.
To make matters worse, all her family’s lies are about to descend on her head all at once.
Ex-JTF2 soldier Jacob Desjardins has been having come to Jesus moments over the past few months. He has been nothing but a jerk to those around him and karma has finally gotten tired of his crap.
After being rescued by Trigger and his crew, he believes his life can get back on track. But the fates have a sick sense of humor. Not only is his life spiraling out of control, he sees something in Swan that takes his breath away.
But what will Jacob do when he finds out Swan has a little more to her than meets the eyes?
And will he survive the storm heading their way?
REVIEW: This is the 2ndinstallment to the Mercs series and I must say that it turned out quite nice. The first book in the series transitioned seamlessly into this one. Here we have Swan, a beautiful assassin with the elite squad.
Jacobās character was just as well written and as vivid as Swanās in the sense of how their personalities are presented to the readers and how well they play off of each other.
As with the previous story, this one has suspense and action with a huge dose of romance and intrigue tossed in for good measure. All elements which the author successfully manages to strike a perfect balance of.
Swanās character is special in that the author has used her talents and platform to represent everyone within the LGBTQ community. This is just another step towards true representation and they did a great job of bringing diversity to an industry that has consistently centered white cisgender gay men.
I enjoyed reading this story as much as the first one. Swan isāso farāmy favorite character.
Well done, Remmy Duchene. Well done, indeed!šš¾
BLURB: Dawson āTriggerā Kerr walked away from the JTF2 angry and feeling betrayed.
My brotherās keeper, my ass.
Civilian life takes a new kind of strength, but he settles into building his business. He is content with his new lifeāa successful nightclub, amazing friends and a life away from war-zones.
Everything is coming up rosesāthat is until Claude Desjardins walks into his life.
Claude doesnāt have a choice. In order to find his brother in Brazil, he needs the best. Word on the street, Dawson is the man for the job.
But Dawson isnāt too keen on helping the Desjardins. Thereās a story there and there isn’t time to tell it. As they race against time to find out what happened to the older Desjardins brother, Claude is falling – hard.
But Claude is going to learn, if heās going to squeeze the trigger, heād better shoot to kill.
REVIEW: Okay, this book was a very good start to what looks to be a promising series. This story gives us Dawson aka Trigger and Claude. If you like action and suspense mixed with your romance, then this is definitely the book for you. The writing style is clean, crisp and straight to the point. This is what I like. This author doesnāt dally around with their stories; these men are straight forward with their attraction and feelings for each other which is a consistent thread with all of this authorās work. I actually like that. I donāt care for characters who dance around their attractions or feeling for each other. And the action wasnāt over the top or extra. It was the perfect balance of both romance and action which made the book that much more of an enjoyable read.
The ending was perfect and actually lays the groundwork for a smooth transition to the next book in the series.
This author is consistent in offering quality work. Her editing, storyline and character development was excellent and her cover was beautiful.
Vance: He’s angry and bitter over the direction his father has chosen for him in the family business ā and in his life. He may have been born into money, but Vance always saw his journey as something less grand. He’s desperate to follow his real passion which is metal sculpture, created with nothing more than scraps he pulls out of junk piles, a blow torch, and a sweat. But he lacks a critical element to make that happen: the spine to stand up to the man who moves him around like a pawn on a chessboard. He needs something ā or someone to give him the motivational push to take back control of his life.
Kyle: He’s drifted through life with a massive chip on his shoulder. He doesn’t mind being a city bike messenger, but he knows his body won’t allow him to do that forever, and riding for a living isn’t his calling in life. But with no clear plan B in place, he needs to keep his day job ā for now. The other problem? He loathes the privileged people he delivers to, despises what they stand for, and how they look down at him as if he was worthless. The only thing more prominent than the grudge he holds against them is his pride. Everything changes when a company owner’s son hits him with his car, which puts both rider and driver on entirely different paths in their lives.
But is this a path they can both take together, or will egos and societal privilege create too many obstacles to overcome?
Moved By You is a 67,000 word MM novel with an enemies to lovers theme, and an HEA.
So this is book two in this series and in order to truly understand this story and the relationships you really need to read book one. Just saying! This book picks up right where Wolf, book one left off. When I began reading this story I kept thinking, how much is this strong, beautiful man supposed to take? How much more pain is he going to have to endure before he gets his HEA? I really enjoyed our MCās, Wolf and Gage, relationship and how supportive Wolf was during all the family drama. He really stood by Gage no matter what. Wolf has totally redeemed himself by lots of groveling, lots of loving and just being there for Gage. That part will make you smile.
Then comes the part that will make you angry and sad… his family. Family, you canāt choose them so some of us get stuck with trash. I wanted to throttle his family in the first book for how they treated Gage but was certain they were in the past. Then out of nowhere BAM, here they come like the plague. But Ms. Harper pulls a rabbit out of her creative mind and turns lemons into lemonade. Especially Claudia, his sister. This book made me spit flames, and made me laugh. At times my heart soared with joy and cry real tears for Gage. I love this series so far and canāt wait for more.
