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 he’d always called his brothers betrayed him. After doing five years in a federal prison, Bishop is back at his dad’s trailer and working for his landscaping company, thrust into a legit world where he’s no longer the alpha—a world where a criminal record is the least of his disadvantages, because Bishop can’t read or write. Illiteracy had never been an obstacle for him on the streets, he didn’t need to know how to read Moby Dick to survive, he needed to know how to read people… and that was a hustle he’d learned hard and fast. Now, he had to change his life.
Bishop’s only support system was a young, inexperienced dad who’d insisted he call him Mike all their life—since they looked more like brothers than father and son. And his hot-tempered, childhood, best friend from ’juvie, Trent. Bishop already had the deck stacked against him, but he wasn’t 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 didn’t hesitate to come to his defense… a man that saw past Bishop’s grass-stained coveralls. A man who wasn’t intimidated by his stern features and his silence.
Edison hadn’t grown up the way most of his peers had. He’d been raised by a single father who’d 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 he’d learned, was to always be himself. His lack of friends and a social life wasn’t 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.
Bishop knew Edison was off-limits. He’d 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 hadn’t expected Edison to feed him, praise him, encourage him, and look at him the way he did—as if Bishop was somebody. Mike and Trent warned him not to mix business with pleasure and he didn’t intend to.
No multiple pairings. No cliffhangers. Ends with a very, very HFN. Warning:
This book is a M/M contemporary romance, a hardened man’s struggle to find real love. There are no police chases or doors being kicked in, in this one. But, don’t worry. Bishop is still intense enough to keep you on the edge.
REVIEW: Okay, y’all. 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 you’re 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 I’ll speak on that in a bit.
I particularly loved how the author approached the topic of Bishop’s illiteracy. It was handled with kindness and understanding. The author wrote it in a way that didn’t 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 life—not necessarily a BEST life— but just go along the familiar lines and on the right path of it.
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’s characters was like being reunited with my friend. It was amazing.
She is a master of her craft. This author’s writing style is absolutely superb. Miss Via’s 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 doesn’t simply tell a story, she’s giving you a front row seat of their thoughts and heart.
This book doesn’t have a traditional HEA and that’s okay because life doesn’t always work that way. You just know that these men’s 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 you’ve finished reading this book.
This author and this book is a serious must read. Take a bow, Miss Via. You’ve done an amazing job yet again.
BLURB: When Captain Pendleton needs an emergency fiancée, who better to turn to than his male best friend? After all, for Amadeo Orsini, life’s one long, happy drag!
Captain Ambrose “Pen” Pendleton might have distinguished himself on the battlefield at Waterloo but since he’s come home to civvy street, he’s struggled to make his mark.
Pen dreams of becoming a playwright but his ambitious father has other ideas, including a trophy wife and a new job in America. If he’s to stand a hope of staying in England and pursuing his dream, Pen needs to find a fiancée fast.
Amadeo Orsini never made it as a leading man, but as a leading lady he’s the toast of the continental stage. Now Cosima is about to face her most challenging role yet, that of Captain Pendleton’s 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 isn’t new by any means but the authors did a fantastic job of making it fresh and bold in that it’s set in a Regency timeframe. That to me makes it all the more delightful.
The authors’ 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.
Jacob’s character was just as well written and as vivid as Swan’s 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.
Swan’s 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 is—so far—my favorite character.
BLURB: Dawson “Trigger” Kerr walked away from the JTF2 angry and feeling betrayed.
My brother’s keeper, my ass.
Civilian life takes a new kind of strength, but he settles into building his business. He is content with his new life—a successful nightclub, amazing friends and a life away from war-zones.
Everything is coming up roses—that is until Claude Desjardins walks into his life.
Claude doesn’t 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 isn’t too keen on helping the Desjardins. There’s 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 he’s going to squeeze the trigger, he’d 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 doesn’t 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 author’s work. I actually like that. I don’t care for characters who dance around their attractions or feeling for each other. And the action wasn’t 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 – 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 – 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 – 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.
E.T. Malinowski has a new queer paranormal book out: Night Kiss.
Bam Kiseu Interview
Since returning home to Seoul from their world tour, Bam Kiseu has been very busy with filming a new video, fan meets, individual appearances and spokesmodel engagements. Despite such a hectic schedule, they put together something special for their hometown fans; a spring concert. I was able to sit down with Bam Kiseu today in the hopes of giving you a bit more insight into the men who make up the group, Cheongul, HanYin, and Ki-tae, and maybe even a sneak peek at what’s in store for tonight’s performance.
Bam Kiseu is huge in the pop genre, did you ever expect to be one of the biggest bands in Korea?
Cheongul: No, not in the least.
HanYin: We hoped to be successful, sure, but this was more than what we expected.
Ki-tae: Maybe for you two.
Cheongul and HanYin glare at Ki-tae but there doesn’t seem to be any heat in it. He just smirks back. There is a camaraderie between the three of them, a closeness that is stronger than I’ve seen with other groups, even those who have reached the ten-year mark. It’s as if these three have been together so much longer than they have.
Are you dating anyone?
Of the three of them, I certainly didn’t expect Cheongul to blush and duck his head. HanYin’s smile is bright and happy. Even Ki-tae’s expression is more genuine and less professional idol. It seems they each have someone in their lives.
Cheongul: Yes
HanYin: I am.
Ki-tae: We all are.
To say I wasn’t curious would be a lie.
Anyone we know?
Cheongul is the only one to respond.
Cheongul: No.
I can tell I’m not going to get any more out of them. We’ll just have to keep a close eye on them to see who is by their side the most, dear readers. It seems three lucky individuals have captured the hearts of Bam Kiseu.
What do you enjoy most about the industry?
They look at each other for a few moments, almost as if in silent communication. Then they nod and turnback to me.
Cheongul: Being able to share our music with our fans.
HanYin: Being able to perform it for our fans around the world.
Ki-tae: Helping to inspire the next generation of idols, to encourage them to keep reaching for their dreams and never stop.
Do they truly mean these words? I like to think so. Bam Kiseu’s music touches a lot of people. If it didn’t, they wouldn’t have so many fans.
When, if ever, do you regret being famous?
This question earns some wry chuckles. We all know there are aspects of being an idol that aren’t so great. I have to wonder what parts of being idols bother them.
Cheongul: When I go shopping, especially if it’s for my home studio. I love our fans, but it can be a pain if I’m trying to replace a piece of equipment and keep having to stop to take photos or give autographs.
HanYin: Being chased through the airports. I don’t like flying to begin with and when we land, I just want to get home, but the fans seem to know our flight schedules better than we do and it gets really crowded. It’s hard to keep smiling when you’
Ki-tae: I guess it depends on where we are. There are some places where we’re not instantly recognized and so some everyday activities are easier to do. I mean when we were in America, I could run out for something small and I think I was recognized a handful of times. When I’m home, I can’t step outside my door without a crowd. We love our fans. We just need some space to breathe every now and then.
HanYin-ssi, you’re known for bringing food to the set when shooting a video or commercial, how did that start and why?
HanYin: All of our production teams work really hard. Some of them even skip meals to continue working. When we were shooting our first music video, one of our technicians collapsed and had to be taken to the hospital. I didn’t like that, so I started bringing food to the set to make sure everyone had something to eat. People can’t do their best if their hungry or tired, so I make sure they are neither.
Ki-tae: He’s a bit of a mother hen.
HanYin pokes Ki-tae in the side for that comment causing him to laugh and squirm away Cheongul just shakes his head as he watches them, a disapproving older brother.
Many idols have lyricists during the beginning and sometimes through most of their careers, yet, you seem to write all your own music. Why is that?
Cheongul: BLE has always believed in encouraging the creativity of its idols. As trainees we were taught the fundamentals of songwriting as part of our lessons. Sometimes, it’s a matter of skill and sometimes, it’s a matter of getting pleasure from writing a song. Not everyone enjoys it, we do.
HanYin: I agree. I’m always bringing new songs into the studio and making these two listen to them, but I’m not nearly as bad as Ki-tae-ya. I’ve gotten calls at 4 a.m. demanding that I listen to a melody or beat, or even an entire verse and give feedback.
Ki-tae: I’m not that bad.
His pout is absolutely adorable but it doesn’t seem to work on HanYin and Cheongul at all.
Cheongul, HanYin: You are, too.
Cheongul: He writes all the time and when he gets in that mode, he doesn’t pay attention to the time before calling us to listen to what he’s done.
HanYin: He also has a tendency to not sleep or eat.
Ki-tae: I can’t argue, really. I do write a lot. I’ve been known to bring twenty new songs into the studio after a single day off.
I can’t help but stare at Ki-tae so, of course, I catch the blush on his face. He’s embarrassed by this fact about himself. I, on the other hand, am very impressed. 20 songs… in a day?
How do you determine which songs to put on an album?
Cheongul: Usually by a common theme.
HanYin: Sometimes, there’s a shared element in the beat or the melody.
Ki-tae: Occasionally, it’s all three. We’ll go through all of the songs and see which ones just sort of fit together. Other times, we’ll plan the songs out to mesh together, like we did with Call the Dragon, Phoenix Rising, and Tiger’s Pride. There’s a fourth one to that set, but we haven’t gotten beyond the title, yet; Turtle’s Patience. We’re planning on writing that one for the next album.
HanYin: We’ll listen to the songs individually, tweak them, play around with the beats, that sort of thing, until we all agree it works and then we record it.
Cheongul: It’s always a group effort.
Would you want to do this again?
Ki-tae: This interview? Sure.
He’s such a smart aleck.
Cheongul: She means be an idol, baka.
Ki-tae: I knew that, just teasing. Cheongul-a is too serious sometimes. We have to keep him on his toes.
HanYin: Ignore them. They do this all the time. I don’t think any of us would say no to being idols again. I mean we are who we are. For all the things that make us crazy, there are more that make us happy.
While HanYin is speaking, Ki-tae sticks his tongue out at Cheongul. I’ve never seen retribution promised in a look until now. I have no doubt Ki-tae is due for some payback when Cheongul gets him alone. Ki-tae went from serious idol to mischievous boy and back in the blink of an eye, but Cheongul stayed professional. Yet, I’ve seen clips and videos of him being just as silly as the other two. I wonder what gets him to loosen up?
What do you feel is the best song you’ve recorded?
They do that silent communication again. It’s almost eerie.
Cheongul: Collectively, we like Crossing Time.
HanYin: It’s about love lasting an eternity.
Ki-tae: It’s about continuing to search for that love until you find it no matter how long it takes. Everyone searches for love, right? Some people give up. Others don’t. Crossing Time is about not giving up.
What genre of music would you like to explore together as a group?
Cheongul: I’d like to do more with the rock/pop combination, maybe incorporate more rap elements.
HanYin: I like that idea. I’d like us try more in the folk genre, give it a pop twist, maybe. I like some of the ballads and traditional folk music.
Ki-tae: I think even as a tenor you did well with the growl in Call the Dragon. We all had that vocal training and with more practice and maybe working with someone who sings in that style frequently, we could put something together. I like the idea of working in more rock elements. The beat drops can blend with a tight guitar riff. As far as the folk music, I think we could take some traditional music and include some EDM elements, perhaps take some myths and legends, and turn them into songs, tell traditional stories through music. That’d be cool. It’s not so much a musical genre, but it would be interesting to play with.
And just like that, I see them become immersed in the creative process, playing ideas off each other in these few brief moments. It gives me just a glimpse of what it must be like when they’re in the studio together. They seem to mesh so well together.
We’ve heard how the Bam Kiseu sound has changed, has the band dynamic changed? If so, how?
Cheongul: I don’t think it has, not really. We still make decisions as a group and we’re still happy with how things are working.
Ki-tae: It’s a case of why change what works?
HanYin: Me neither. I think we still function the same now as we did in the beginning. I mean Cheongul-a is still the leader and we let him because he’s, honestly, the most responsible one of us.
That earns a smile from Cheongul and there’s no denying he is the most… sober of the three of them. It’s not hard to picture him as the most responsible one of the group.
There have never been any rumors about contention between you three, do you guys ever argue?
Cheongul: Yeah, we have arguments, especially when Ki-tae-ya is being a pain in the… studio, making us sing the same segment over and over, and over a million times.
Ki-tae: Or when Cheongul-a is being stubborn and won’t sing like I know he can.
HanYin: And then I have to throw them both out to cool off before I lock them in separate closets and finish the tracks myself. Once we’ve all calmed down, we come back into the studio and everyone gets a chance to talk. Once we’re done talking, we try again. Eventually, we get over it because, in the end, this is our job and we love it.
Again, I see the camaraderie between them. They may fight, but it doesn’t change the closeness between them.
How different are your stage personas from who you are as individuals?
HanYin: Cheongul-a is more talkative onstage! And he smiles more.
Cheongul: That’s because I have to worry about you two more offstage than on!
Ki-tae: No, you just really love being onstage as much as we do. Sometimes, he’s just really intense no matter where he is. HanYin-a is more… boyish offstage, more playful. Onstage, he’s all serious and sexy. The fangirls and boys eat it up.
HanYin: Ki-tae-ya doesn’t change much from one to the other. He’s like this most of the time! He’s a big flirt on or off the stage!
Ki-tae: You’re a monk!
HanYin: I am not, I’m selective!
Ki-tae: Monk!
HanYin pounces on Ki-tae, putting him in a headlock. The two of them are known for their wrestling around. Cheongul just heaves a sigh.
Cheongul: See what I have to put up with? They’re always like this before a concert.
Fortunately, it doesn’t take long for HanYin and Ki-tae to settle down. Our time is almost up so I just have one more question to ask.
What’s next for Bam Kiseu?
Cheongul: We have tonight’s spring concert. It’s going to be a lot of fun.
HanYin: We plan on mixing it up a bit with some old stuff and some new tracks.
Ki-tae: And some new takes on some old tracks.
Cheongul: We also plan on releasing an album soon which will probably be a compilation of the songs performed tonight.
Ki-tae: Tonight’s show should prove to be unforgettable.
I have to say it was fun talking with Bam Kiseu and seeing the way they interact with each other in person. They’re always playful when I see them onstage and very professional when being interviewed on TV. I thought I would get the same when I sat down with them, but they seemed very laid back and relaxed. I look forward to tonight’s concert. See you there!
Blurb:
What could be frightening enough to freeze the blood of a centuries-old Vampire turned K-pop idol?
Being bound to someone.
University student Cheong Jin-woo dreams of working in the arts, especially for BL Entertainment and his favorite band, Bam Kiseu. After seeing the band perform, Jin-woo separates from his friends to explore. What he discovers backstage will change his life.
Does he embrace it or run?
Jung Ki-tae has kept his secret for centuries—until a young fan interrupts his feeding. Even more disturbing is the instant bond Ki-tae feels with Jin-woo—a complication he refuses to allow. Yet resisting becomes increasingly difficult as Jin-woo and a group of students win the chance to make a video for the band, working closely with them for weeks. The obsession Ki-tae felt toward Jin-woo—even before tasting his blood—deepens into genuine feelings, feelings that terrify Ki-tae. But when he finds a way to break the bond, he’s torn between severing the connection and protecting Jin-woo….
Especially with a mysterious killer getting closer.
Jin-woo was late and Min-su was going to kill him, but if he hadn’t gone back to the studio, they wouldn’t have their visuals, and then she would have killed him slowly. He’d had to scramble to find someone with the keys, too, forcing him to miss all the other presentations. He never realized how hard it was to find maintenance personnel on a campus this size. When he finally reached Min-su, she looked scared as hell.
“What?” he asked. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
“Um, I… I can’t breathe. I really… can’t.” Min-su puffed out her cheeks and fanned her face. “I didn’t…. If I had known, I would have chosen a different outfit. I would have done my hair, and my makeup is just…. Dammit. Why didn’t anyone tell me they were going to be here?”
“What the heck is she talking about, Jong-in-a?” Jin-woo demanded.
“We’re not just presenting to Park Soon-joon hyung,” Jong-in said quietly.
“Of course we aren’t. Seonsaengnim is there as well,” Jin-woo said. “This isn’t new.”
“It’s…. We’re…. Jin-woo-ya, Bam Kiseu is in that room!” Min-su said, grabbing him by his vest and shaking him back and forth. “HanYin oppa is in that room! Ki-tae oppa is in that room! Cheongul oppa is in that room!”
Jin-woo did the only thing he could think of. He slapped her.
Min-su stumbled back a few steps and just stared at him. Then she narrowed her eyes and came at him.
Jin-woo threw up his hands in defense of the punch coming his way.
“I’m sorry!” But it never landed. He peeked with one eye. Min-su looked completely calm.
“Thank you,” she said with a sigh. “I was losing my shit, and that’s not acceptable.”
“You’re good?” Jin-woo said.
“I’m good.”
“Good,” Jin-woo said as he began to shake. “I’m going to pass out now.”
And he did just that.
Jin-woo didn’t remember hitting the floor, but he figured that must have happened, as he was staring up at the ceiling with Min-su slapping his face and Jong-in looking terribly concerned. He caught Min-su’s wrist and held her hand to his face for a few moments, closing his eyes once more.
“No, you cannot pass out on us again. We’re up next, Jin-woo-ya!” Min-su said, an edge of desperation in her voice.
“I’m not going to pass out again. I just wanted you to stop slapping me and calm down,” he said. Then he slowly sat up, rubbing the back of his head. He looked at Jong-in and teased, “You couldn’t have caught me?”
“Nope, Min-su-ya was in the way.”
“Hey, this is not my fault,” she said, putting her hands on her hips.
“Well, you were shaking Jin-woo-ya pretty hard,” Jong-in pointed out. “There’s no need to panic. They’re people, just like us.”
No, not just like us, Jin-woo thought but wisely kept the words to himself.
Author Bio
An avid reader, E.T. finds inspiration in all her favorite genres, from mainstream romance by her favorite authors to Japanese manga and anime. To her, even the classic fairytales hold that spark of motivation and if there is one thing she has learned from her many years of writing solely for herself, it’s this: never deny the Muse, she gets cranky and pulls out the bullwhip. E.T. Malinowski is the youngest of seven girls. It was her love of reading that eventually led her to attempt writing. From there, a passion was born.
She began writing romance in her early teens and, at that time, never dreamed of sharing her work with anyone. With the help of several dear friends, not to mention her ex-husband, she found the courage to take that last step towards publication. As the single mother of three rambunctious boys, finding time to write is a bit difficult. Yet E.T. manages to do it, even if it’s on break or lunch at a regular day job.
She has found her place in homoerotic romance. To her, love doesn’t recognize gender rel=”noopener”boundaries and is always special. An avid reader, E.T. finds inspiration in all her favorite genres, from mainstream romance by her favorite authors to Japanese manga and anime. To her, even the classic fairytales hold that spark of motivation and if there is one thing she has learned from her many years of writing solely for herself, it’s this: never deny the Muse, she gets cranky and pulls out the bullwhip.
BLURB: For a lonely Cornish lifeboatman and an author who’s more used to crime scenes than love scenes, this Christmas is going to be very merry indeed!
When Jago Treherne agrees to man the Polneath lifeboats one snowy Christmas, he knows he can forget turkey and all the trimmings.
Yet when he boards a seemingly empty yacht and stumbles upon sexy Sam Coryton enjoying an energetic afternoon below decks, Jago soon realizes that he might be unwrapping a very different sort of Christmas gift this year!
Publisher’s Note: This book is related to the Captivating Captains series.
REVIEW: This is a charming and well written novella in the Captivating Captains series. I absolutely adored these characters. Although the book has two MCs, the authors decided to do something a little different by having the story pretty much told from Jago’s perspective. Even though this was the case, the story still flows quite well.
Jago is on duty and has no huge plans for holidays other than spending time at home snuggled with his cat. Now, for those who are not aware, I am a total cat lady so of course, Peregrine the cat stole the show for me for a bit.
Jago happens upon a docked yacht that he thinks is in trouble but find, to his chagrin, that it belonged to famous author and childhood friend, Sam Coryton in a somewhat compromising, embarrassing and hilarious position. Figuratively and literally.
Sam has grown jaded of the London high society life and is looking to get back to his roots, peace and quiet. It becomes clear rather quickly, these two men belong together.
This novella is sexy, funny, and charming. Each story in this series is better and better and although different, still has a cohesive feel to them. These two authors did an amazing job of telling Jago and Sam’s story. What I particularly love about these novellas is that they’re so well written, the characters and dialogues so well fleshed out that they read like full length books.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novella and definitely recommend it and this series.
There’s a new holiday romance anthology out: Worst Holiday Ever.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! OK—scratch that. It’s time for another obligatory family gathering. And nothing spices up the egg nog like bringing your partner home. Surely your belligerent brother-in law, your gimlet-eyed granny and your drunken uncle will keep it classy. With forced proximity and alcoholic beverages, what could possibly go wrong?
Decked Out by Eva Moore
A Perfect Fit by Adrienne Bell
Crazy Old Money by Kilby Blades
Stealing Christmas by Kari Lemor
Touched by Fate by Preslaysa Williams
Ringing in the Reefer by Marie Booth
The Thanksgiving Parade From Hell by R.L. Merrill
Thankful in Perdition by Erin St. Charles
Feliz Chanukah! by Meg Bellamy
This anthology is for readers who love any or all of the following: m/m, #ownvoices, plus-sized heroes, interracial/multicultural families, paranormal romance, contemporary romance, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Chanukah!
Warning: It is best to leave this one to the mature audiences. Note: Many of the stories in this anthology are not queer.
“You hardly ate anything.” Dalton rubbed Orrie’s back. He’d suggested the donuts because he knew Orrie would be too stressed out to eat.
“I don’t know why she insists on serving quiche at these things. Who the hell eats quiche, anyway?” Orrie picked at the spot on his finger.
Dalton shook his head. “Only old people. And hipsters.”
Orrie laughed humorlessly and leaned back in the seat. “You don’t have to do the boxes this weekend. I can do it tomorrow before I leave.”
“Forget it,” Dalton said as he started the car. “I get you to myself tomorrow until I take you to the airport, and I’m not losing a single minute of time with you.” He leaned over and kissed Orrie sweetly. “It’s been a long six weeks, baby.”
“Too long. I missed you.” Orrie closed his eyes and Dalton took that as a good sign. He hoped that meant Orrie would be able to relax at their next stop. Because he sure the hell wouldn’t.
Ahhhh, Casa de Bishop. The eternal bachelor pad. The house where Bishop men went to lick their wounds and drink. A lot. And today being Thanksgiving and the holy day of the pigskin, Dalton had prepared his defense. He just had to get past this next two hours, and then he and Orrie would move on to…his mom’s. Okay, make that the next four hours.
He pulled the car out of the pretentious neighborhood where Orrie’s grandmother lived and drove down the hill to the more blue-collar area of Castro Valley. It was a funny town in that way. You had these newer, expensive developments up in the hills and canyons, but a lot of old neighborhoods from the forties and fifties that remained affordable for the low- to middle-income folks in the East Bay.
Peter Bishop, Dalton’s father, lived in such a home, one he’d inherited from his parents. The boys had grown up there, and currently, Dalton’s brothers Terrence and Stanley lived there with him. Both had broken up with their significant others in the past year and now, with their divorced father, they lived the life of swingin’ singles. Dalton just hoped the house was in better shape than it had been the last time he was here.
“Hey, doll,” Orrie said, reaching for his leg. “I know how much you worry about them. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. If you want to go…”
And that was just one of the many reasons Dalton loved this man more than anything. He looked over and Orrie was smiling at him in that way that made Dalton feel like any second he was going to be a weeping mess on the floor, but in a good way. Not in the way he’d grown up experiencing.
“I want to see them. I do. We’re supposed to be thankful on Thanksgiving, right?”
Orrie nodded, frowning. “You are the most thankful person I’ve ever known. You see the positive in everything. Sometimes to your own detriment.”
Dalton barked out a laugh and his eyes burned. He was tired of fretting over a situation that was never going to change.
Orrie got out of the car and walked around to Dalton’s door, which he promptly opened, pulling Dalton in for an embrace that felt more supportive than seductive, and yet it had both effects. Dalton may have been the one to pursue Orrie, but Orrie had seduced Dalton with his compassion as much as his passion, with his love as much as his loving.
“If you promise not to take any shit from your brothers, I’ll promise not to cause any bodily injury.”
Dalton snorted and dropped his forehead onto Orrie’s shoulder. “You know they’re going to give me shit, and I know you’re going to give it right back. Just don’t hit anyone this time. You don’t have that luxury, you know? You can’t afford any injuries.” He thought about Orrie picking at his finger and hoped it wouldn’t get worse as the day wore on.
Orrie sighed and kissed Dalton’s head. “I’m insured,” he said against Dalton’s hair. “If I happen to have an injury, they’ll find some other poor schmuck to play guitar for me. Shouldn’t be too hard. Any adolescent boy could play—”
“Stop it right there. You’re as full of shit as a Thanksgiving turkey.” Dalton put a finger against Orrie’s lips.
“I’m serious, baby. Please.”
Orrie laughed. “We have an audience. Should we give them a show?”
Orrie just loved to be demonstrative in front of Dalton’s brothers. They couldn’t contain their disgust, not so much because Dalton was gay, but because the thought of their oldest sibling being sexually active with anyone made them want to hurl. Since Dalton had been more of a father to Terrence and Stanley than dear old Dad, they tended to treat him that way.
“I’d say we should give them a show, but honestly, that’s not playing fair. If I want them to behave, I can’t exactly go sinking to their level.”
“So I shouldn’t fondle you right here?” Orrie slid his hand down Dalton’s chest.
Dalton winced and sucked in a breath.
“Did I hurt you? I’m sorry.”
Dalton pressed his lips together firmly and pulled back from Orrie. “I’m fine. Really.” Was that my voice coming out sounding like a little girl’s?
Before Orrie could interrogate him, which would really ruin the surprise Dalton had worked so hard to make happen, Peter Bishop slammed open the front door.
“Hurry up, you two, before Terry burns the damn turkey!”
Dalton stared wide-eyed at Orrie. “Did he just say turkey?”
Orrie nodded, his brow furrowed once more. “Are your brother’s actually cooking?”
“Come on, you two. I gotta get in the backyard.”
The screen door slammed shut and Dalton jumped at the sound.
“Have your phone ready to call the fire department,” he said to Orrie as he sprinted up the walk. Dear God, don’t let those idiots burn the place down.
Author Bio
Eva Moore:As a young woman, Eva Moore loved nothing more than to dive into the pages of a book. She even met her husband while reading a romance novel. When the second baby came along though, she found she had little time for diving into anything but laundry. Missing her stories desperately, she began to make up her own. The stories she played with while she washed dishes and changed diapers demanded space on the page, and she was hooked. Winning Cherry Adair’s Finish The Damn Book Contest has propelled her career into high gear. Eva now lives in Silicon Valley, after moving around the world and back, with her college sweetheart, her three gorgeous girls, and a Shih Tzu who thinks he is a cat. She can be found most nights hiding in her closet-office, scribbling away, and loves to hear from the outside world.
Kilby Blades:Kilby Blades is a fresh new voice in smart contemporary romantic fiction. A business executive by day, by night she writes dynamic characters into (and out of) tantalizingly complex predicaments. Critics laud her “feminist romance”, noting empowered heroines and multi-dimensional heroes who are staunch advocates for their partners, stepping back from their own spotlights in order to let their women shine. From dry wit in her angstier books to blatant humor in her lighter ones, her characters are resplendent in their witty repartee. All her stories, regardless of genre, serve up delicious dilemmas and never-before-seen plots. When she’s not writing, Kilby goes to movie matinees alone, where she eats Chocolate Pocky and buttered popcorn and usually smuggles in not-a-little-bit of red wine. Kilby is a mother, a social-justice fighter, and above all else, a glutton for a good story.
Erin St. Charles: Erin grew up watching Star Trek and reading Barbara Cartland novels (don’t hate), wishing she could create something that brings her love of science fiction together with her love of romance. Still a romantic nerd at heart, she writes sensual, diverse stories that blend fantasy, adventure, and love.
Kari Lemor:Kari Lemor grew up as one of those kids who read all night under the covers. Once she had her first glimpse of a romance novel at age 12, it was all over. Romance was in her blood. It would be many years before the stories that ran rampant in her head finally drove her to put words to paper, though. She wrote self-indulgently for the first few years and only recently began penning stories to share with others. She still writes stories that are self-indulgent but hopes others might get some enjoyment from them too. Now that her children are all grown and have moved out, she uses her spare time to create stories of love and happily ever after romances where heroes ride to the rescue of damsels who have already saved themselves. She lives with her husband in a small town in New England dreaming of warmer weather. But only if it’s near the ocean.
Adrienne Bell: Adrienne Bell is the author of over a dozen action-packed romances including the bestselling contemporary Second Service series and the new Exiles of the Realm paranormal series. She loves nothing more than writing quirky heroines with a knack for finding trouble and the hardheaded heroes who help them fight their way out of it. Adrienne lives with her husband and sons on the far edge of the San Francisco Bay Area where she spends her downtime reading, binge-watching nerdy television, and scrolling through Disneyland fan websites.
Meg Bellamy:Along with her husband, her family and her books, language is Meg’s passion. In fact, by day she’s a mild-mannered language teacher. Currently, she teaches ESL (English as a Second Language) to international students, but in her early teaching days, her main subject was French. Though her French is a bit rusty these days, she figures a trip to France would help fix that. She’s also studied Russian, Spanish and Italian. This love of language spills over into her writing craft and appreciation for books — and travel! Meg also has to travel to see other family members in New Jersey — a mere continent away from Meg’s home in Northern California. Being a published member of the community of writers with her contemporary romances and women’s fiction is the fulfillment of one of Meg’s most cherished dreams. Her first release, Homecoming, was released October 19 — a week before her birthday — from The Wild Rose Press.
Marie Booth: Marie’s a Northern California girl with a love of all things artsy fartsy – as her brother says. A theatre and fantasy geek, she writes sexy paranormal romance and has a hot contemporary series releasing this year. You can contact Marie here:
R.L. Merrill:Once upon a time… A teacher, tattoo collector, mom, and rock ‘n’ roll kinda gal opened up a doc and started purging her demons. Several self-published books and a debut from Dreamspinner Press later, with more tucked away in her evil lair, R.L. Merrill is still striving to find that perfect balance between real-life and happily ever after. You can find her lurking on social media where she loves connecting with readers, being a mom-taxi to two brilliant and busy kids, in the tattoo chair trying desperately to get that back piece finished, or headbanging at a rock show near her home in the San Francisco Bay Area! Stay Tuned for more Rock ‘n’ Romance.
Preslaysa Williams:Preslaysa Williams is an award-winning author and actress. She writes contemporary romance and women’s fiction with an Afro-Filipina twist. Preslaysa has a Bachelor’s degree from Columbia University and is currently earning her MFA in Fiction from Seton Hill University. Connect with Preslaysa online at her website (www.preslaysa.com) or on any of these social media platforms:
BLURB: Hitoshi Ren has a pretty good life—a great education, friends he considers family, a crush on one of the world’s biggest crooners, and a secret he believes has died. But when that secret walks back into his life in the form of late-night phone calls, he has to put his life aside and hop on a plane to face his past demons. To make matters worse—Rixton Corrigan seems quite determined on turning Hitoshi’s head.
Rixton Corrigan has been on a nonstop ride and he wishes to get off. The exhaustion of touring the world in support of his latest album and his brother’s disapproval of his carefree lifestyle has taken its toll. Since he’s doing a video and a couple of shows in Japan, he decides it’s a good time to unwind and cut himself off from the western world. Time that’s best spent alone until he can get his head on straight.
However, those plans are tested when Hitoshi Ren shows up at his hotel, looking sexy and irresistible. His brother tells him to stay away, but how can he when he’s always been attracted to Dustin’s best friend?
REVIEW: Every book I read from these authors—regardless if they writing individually or together —keeps getting better and better. Their characters are beautifully diverse and rich with each personality shining through each page.
Rix and Hitoshi are as opposite as opposite can possibly be. Their personalities clashes were horribly hilarious. You know you have damn good story on your hands when you, the reader, want to Gibbs smack both MCs on the backs of their heads. You become immersed into the lives of and interested in the happiness of the characters.
These two authors took what could have been a run of the mill, basic enemies to lovers story and too it to the next level. There were outside forces determined to keep them apart but these men fought through them all for their HEA.
This book was filled with passion, heartache and humor. You go from laughing your ass of one minute to wanting to toss these men into the sea the next.
This book went way beyond a good read. It was a great experience. This book took me on a journey of emotions. It was one I thoroughly enjoyed traveling. This is the first book. I’m looking forward to the next trip.
Otto Jones, a cop assigned to the seemingly random murder of a vampire, would rather hide out in the nearest bar than waste his time on a dead vamp. He hates the bloodthirsty demons. But when the king of the vampires commands him to work with one of the lesser princes and find the killer, he has no choice.
Prince Jessamine Senera is ready to sacrifice his happiness in a loveless marriage for his family’s benefit… but not yet. He dreams of adventure, excitement, and true love. He lives on romance novels and detective stories and wishes he could drink synthetic blood like every other vampire. But he can’t. He needs human blood to survive and is hated by vampires and humans alike.
As Otto and Jessa draw closer to an entity that doesn’t want to be discovered, Otto finds the heart he thought long dead opening to the romance-loving Jessa. No good can possibly come from falling in love with a vampire, but when a shadowy assailant attacks Jessa, Otto will descend into the darkest pit of the earth to rescue him.
REVIEW: This is a new to me author and was absolutely blown away by this story. This book was very well written. The storyline, dialogue and characters were wonderfully fleshed out.
Otto’s character is a flawed hero. He’s has his demons and has not moved past the grief over losing his sister. It’s this grief, anger and distain towards vampires drives virtually every decision—good and bad—that he makes.
Jessa’s character is a complete opposite of what you would think a vampire’s personality would be. He’s gentle, kind and soft spoken. He was more human by way of personality and temperament.
These characters are so well written, you end up caring for them. The storyline moved among smoothly, the plot was well thought out and the dialogue is superb. This book held my attention from the first page to the last and I’m really looking forward to seeing more from this author and this series.
