BLURB: Police Lieutenants, God and Day are under intense pressure from the chief to take back control of Atlantaâs streets. The last thing their task force needs is a pair of trained killers in town with a personal score to settle.
Take a man and strip him of his ability to feel compassion, empathy, remorse, or any of the emotions that make him human, but leave the ones that ignite rage and aggression and you have the perfect killing machineânow imagine two of them.
Code names Ex and Meridian are synonymous for âguaranteed deathâ to international terrorists. Two broken men from the same crooked streets, recruited into an unsanctioned government program that few know about. Trained to operate most efficientlyâlethallyâtogether.
When Ex returns from an op in Bolivia to learn his little brother has been accidentally killed in a feud between drug gangs, heâs stateside before he can consider the rules heâll be breaking, and of course Meridian is right beside him. Thereâs mayhem on the streets of Atlanta and the police are losing control. If Godfrey and his elite team of detectives canât get the job done then theyâd be happy to lighten their caseloads for them. And Ex nor Meridian care about doing it quietly.
âI know who you are.â The man grunted when Ex turned to leave. âYouâre the fucking devil.â
Meridian walked past, glaring one final time. âSay that loud enough⌠maybe God will save you.â
But after their first run-in with the big lieutenant and his protective husband, Day, Ex and Meridian start to reevaluate their own relationship. Wondering if they could be even deadlier if they let loose the feelings for each other that theyâve been forced to suppress for years.
Meridianâs dark eyes stayed locked on his, âA man who can fight beside the one he loves doesnât make him weaker, Exâit makes him more dangerous.â
REVIEW: This latest installment of the series continues on with two new characters. Ex and his partner Meridian are two CIA agents who are in the ATL on an unsanctioned, off the books op searching for the drug and gang kingpin who murdered Exâs baby brother.
The characters from the previous books in the series and their spinoffs make brief appearances throughout the book. God and Dayâs team more so than the others as they are the force that moves the story along.
The author introduces two new players in these books. Ex and Meridian are too mysterious and extremely dangerous men. These two are ruthless, unstoppable killing machines. But the author injected quite a bit of humanity into their characters. Reading the story, you could feel Exâs overwhelming sorrow over his brotherâs death. The deep regret and guilt Ex feels for not being there for him and his mother is heartbreaking.
You stepped smack dab in the middle of Ex and Meridian lives fully aware that thereâs a backstory that belongs to them only. Yet, you donât feel disoriented or like thereâs something missing in the author not giving the reader their full historyâs. The bond these two men share is strong and you can see it clearly. This is such an important element of the story as it illustrates just how perfectly in sync with each these men are.Â
These men are fierce, battle hardened and confident. Secure and communicating their wants and needs to each other. But there are some part in the story where Ex is a mixture of vulnerable and commanding that gives his character a depth that is much more fascinating and complex.
My favorite thing about this authors writing style is her ability to assert humor in her books at the most unexpected moments. There are moments when the dialogue takes me completely OUT to the point where I am positively wheezing, damn near laughing myself into an asthma attack.
This authorâs work is brilliant, her charactersâ personalities are so vividly written. These are every day working men that embark on these extraordinary adventures. Her characters are these mature, crazy, bold, dangerous men who work, live, play and love hard.
Just when I think this series can possibly get any more fantastic, this author goes into our kitchen and cooks up yet another even more delicious creation.
And Sis *puts her foot in the pot* every single time she goes into that kitchen aka writerâs room of hers.
*AAVE*
This book includes two fabulous bonus chapters at the end. While this story does not have a HEA ending it has a HFN one that is a perfect fit.
BLURB: Will a photographer be swept off his feet by a duke whoâs more disheveled than dashing?
Itâs Valentineâs Day and itâs Billy last shift at The Chelsea Bunn. His photography career never took off, so itâs 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 Billyâs 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 canât say no. But Charlie is keeping a secret that could turn Billyâs world happily upside down.
As the snow falls over London and the big wheel grinds to a halt, Billy discovers that wishes arenât just for Christmas.Â
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 havenât 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 donât always go the way we want expects or even wants them to. In this instance Billyâs 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 Petraâs fiery strength and icy demeanor as well Robinâs devotion, Elaine finds herself torn between her passion for both women. When Petra disappears on a trip to Oslo, Elaine and Robinâs search leads them to menaces from Robinâs 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 Iâve 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 theyâre 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 youâre able to easily 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. Heâs 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. Thatâs when Ian realizes the target isnât Rialto. Itâs 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.Â
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. Ianâs characterâto meâis 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.
Ianâs 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 heâs proved to Lucas, Snow and Rowe that heâs much tougher than theyâand even heâ realized.Â
He truly came to his own in this book and it may the rest of his family finally sit up and take notice that heâs 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.
Youâll experience a roller coaster of emotions with this book. Youâll 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.
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 heâd always called his brothers betrayed him. After doing five years in a federal prison, Bishop is back at his dadâs trailer and working for his landscaping company, thrust into a legit world where heâs no longer the alphaâa world where a criminal record is the least of his disadvantages, because Bishop canât read or write. Illiteracy had never been an obstacle for him on the streets, he didnât need to know how to read Moby Dick to survive, he needed to know how to read people⌠and that was a hustle heâd learned hard and fast. Now, he had to change his life.
Â
Bishopâs only support system was a young, inexperienced dad whoâd insisted he call him Mike all their lifeâsince they looked more like brothers than father and son. And his hot-tempered, childhood, best friend from âjuvie, Trent. Bishop already had the deck stacked against him, but he wasnât 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 didnât hesitate to come to his defense⌠a man that saw past Bishopâs grass-stained coveralls. A man who wasnât intimidated by his stern features and his silence.
Â
Edison hadnât grown up the way most of his peers had. Heâd been raised by a single father whoâd 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 heâd learned, was to always be himself. His lack of friends and a social life wasnât 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.
Â
Bishop knew Edison was off-limits. Heâd 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 hadnât expected Edison to feed him, praise him, encourage him, and look at him the way he didâas if Bishop was somebody. Mike and Trent warned him not to mix business with pleasure and he didnât intend to.
Â
No multiple pairings. No cliffhangers. Ends with a very, very HFN. Warning:
This book is a M/M contemporary romance, a hardened manâs struggle to find real love. There are no police chases or doors being kicked in, in this one. But, donât worry. Bishop is still intense enough to keep you on the edge.Â
REVIEW: Okay, yâall. 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 youâre 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 Iâll speak on that in a bit.
I particularly loved how the author approached the topic of Bishopâs illiteracy. It was handled with kindness and understanding. The author wrote it in a way that didnât 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 lifeânot necessarily a BEST lifeâ 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. Heâs not asking for or expecting the moon and stars, heâs just asking for normalcy and stability with a man who sees him as something other than what he was.Â
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 didnât 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 heâs someone whose weak. But I didnât 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. Â I adored his character and I adored him and Bishop together. Bishopâs gentle toughness combined with Edisonâs sweet old world charm is what makes them perfect for each other. Edisonâs character was actually like being reunited with my friend. Â It was amazing.
This author is a master of her craft. Her writing style is absolutely superb. Miss Viaâs 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 doesnât simply tell a story, sheâs giving you a front row seat of their thoughts and heart.Â
This book doesnât have a traditional HEA and thatâs okay because life doesnât always work that way. You just know that these menâs 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 youâve finished reading this book.
This author and this book is a serious must read. Take a bow, Miss Via. Youâve done an amazing job yet again.
BLURB: When Captain Pendleton needs an emergency fiancĂŠe, who better to turn to than his male best friend? After all, for Amadeo Orsini, lifeâs one long, happy drag!
Captain Ambrose âPenâ Pendleton might have distinguished himself on the battlefield at Waterloo but since heâs come home to civvy street, heâs 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 heâs to stand a hope of staying in England and pursuing his dream, Pen needs to find a fiancĂŠe fast.
Amadeo Orsini never made it as a leading man, but as a leading lady heâs the toast of the continental stage. Now Cosima is about to face her most challenging role yet, that of Captain Pendletonâs 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 isnât new by any means but the authors did a fantastic job of making it fresh and bold in that itâs set in a Regency timeframe. That to me makes it all the more delightful.
The authorsâ 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.
Jacobâs character was just as well written and as vivid as Swanâs 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.
Swanâs 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 isâso farâmy favorite character.
Well done, Remmy Duchene. Well done, indeed!đđž
BLURB: Dawson âTriggerâ Kerr walked away from the JTF2 angry and feeling betrayed.
My brotherâs keeper, my ass.
Civilian life takes a new kind of strength, but he settles into building his business. He is content with his new lifeâa successful nightclub, amazing friends and a life away from war-zones.
Everything is coming up rosesâthat is until Claude Desjardins walks into his life.
Claude doesnât 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 isnât too keen on helping the Desjardins. Thereâs 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 heâs going to squeeze the trigger, heâd 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 doesnât 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 authorâs work. I actually like that. I donât care for characters who dance around their attractions or feeling for each other. And the action wasnât 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 â 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 â 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 â 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 whatâs in store for tonightâs performance.Â
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 doesnât 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 Iâve seen with other groups, even those who have reached the ten-year mark. Itâs as if these three have been together so much longer than they have.
Are you dating anyone?
Of the three of them, I certainly didnât expect Cheongul to blush and duck his head. HanYinâs smile is bright and happy. Even Ki-taeâs expression is more genuine and less professional idol. It seems they each have someone in their lives.Â
Cheongul: Yes
HanYin: I am.
Ki-tae: We all are.
To say I wasnât curious would be a lie.Â
Anyone we know?
Cheongul is the only one to respond.
Cheongul: No.Â
I can tell Iâm not going to get any more out of them. Weâll 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.Â
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.Â
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 Kiseuâs music touches a lot of people. If it didnât, they wouldnât have so many fans.Â
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 arenât so great. I have to wonder what parts of being idols bother them.
Cheongul: When I go shopping, especially if itâs for my home studio. I love our fans, but it can be a pain if Iâm 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 donât 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. Itâs hard to keep smiling when youâ
Ki-tae: I guess it depends on where we are. There are some places where weâre 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 Iâm home, I canât step outside my door without a crowd. We love our fans. We just need some space to breathe every now and then.Â
HanYin-ssi, youâre 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 didnât like that, so I started bringing food to the set to make sure everyone had something to eat. People canât do their best if their hungry or tired, so I make sure they are neither.
Ki-tae: Heâs a bit of a mother hen.Â
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, itâs a matter of skill and sometimes, itâs a matter of getting pleasure from writing a song. Not everyone enjoys it, we do.Â
HanYin: I agree. Iâm always bringing new songs into the studio and making these two listen to them, but Iâm not nearly as bad as Ki-tae-ya. Iâve 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: Iâm not that bad.Â
His pout is absolutely adorable but it doesnât 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 doesnât pay attention to the time before calling us to listen to what heâs done.
HanYin: He also has a tendency to not sleep or eat.
Ki-tae: I canât argue, really. I do write a lot. Iâve been known to bring twenty new songs into the studio after a single day off.Â
I canât help but stare at Ki-tae so, of course, I catch the blush on his face. Heâs 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, thereâs a shared element in the beat or the melody.
Ki-tae: Occasionally, itâs all three. Weâll go through all of the songs and see which ones just sort of fit together. Other times, weâll plan the songs out to mesh together, like we did with Call the Dragon, Phoenix Rising, and Tigerâs Pride. Thereâs a fourth one to that set, but we havenât gotten beyond the title, yet; Turtleâs Patience. Weâre planning on writing that one for the next album.
HanYin: Weâll 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: Itâs always a group effort.
Â
Would you want to do this again?
Ki-tae: This interview? Sure.
Heâs 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.Â
HanYin: Ignore them. They do this all the time. I donât 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.Â
While HanYin is speaking, Ki-tae sticks his tongue out at Cheongul. Iâve 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, Iâve 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 youâve recorded?
They do that silent communication again. Itâs almost eerie.
Cheongul: Collectively, we like Crossing Time.Â
HanYin: Itâs about love lasting an eternity.
Ki-tae: Itâs 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 donât. Crossing Time is about not giving up.
What genre of music would you like to explore together as a group?
Cheongul: Iâd like to do more with the rock/pop combination, maybe incorporate more rap elements.
HanYin: I like that idea. Iâd 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. Thatâd be cool. Itâs 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 theyâre in the studio together. They seem to mesh so well together.
Â
Weâve heard how the Bam Kiseu sound has changed, has the band dynamic changed? If so, how?
Cheongul: I donât think it has, not really. We still make decisions as a group and weâre still happy with how things are working.
Ki-tae: Itâs 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 heâs, honestly, the most responsible one of us.Â
That earns a smile from Cheongul and thereâs no denying he is the most⌠sober of the three of them. Itâs 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 wonât 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 weâve all calmed down, we come back into the studio and everyone gets a chance to talk. Once weâre 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 doesnât change the closeness between them.Â
How different are your stage personas from who you are as individuals?
HanYin: Cheongul-a is more talkative onstage! And he smiles more.Â
Cheongul: Thatâs 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, heâs just really intense no matter where he is. HanYin-a is more⌠boyish offstage, more playful. Onstage, heâs all serious and sexy. The fangirls and boys eat it up.
HanYin: Ki-tae-ya doesnât change much from one to the other. Heâs like this most of the time! Heâs a big flirt on or off the stage!
Ki-tae: Youâre a monk!
HanYin: I am not, Iâm 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? Theyâre always like this before a concert.
Fortunately, it doesnât take long for HanYin and Ki-tae to settle down. Our time is almost up so I just have one more question to ask.
Whatâs next for Bam Kiseu?
Cheongul: We have tonightâs spring concert. Itâs going to be a lot of fun.
HanYin: We plan on mixing it up a bit with some old stuff and some new tracks.Â
Ki-tae: And some new takes on some old tracks.Â
Cheongul: We also plan on releasing an album soon which will probably be a compilation of the songs performed tonight.
Ki-tae: Tonightâs 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. Theyâre 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 tonightâs 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 centuriesâuntil a young fan interrupts his feeding. Even more disturbing is the instant bond Ki-tae feels with Jin-wooâa 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-wooâeven before tasting his bloodâdeepens into genuine feelings, feelings that terrify Ki-tae. But when he finds a way to break the bond, heâs torn between severing the connection and protecting Jin-wooâŚ.
Especially with a mysterious killer getting closer.
Jin-woo was late and Min-su was going to kill him, but if he hadnât gone back to the studio, they wouldnât have their visuals, and then she would have killed him slowly. Heâd 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.
âWhat?â he asked. âWhat is it? Whatâs wrong?â
âUm, I⌠I canât breathe. I really⌠canât.â Min-su puffed out her cheeks and fanned her face. âI didnâtâŚ. If I had known, I would have chosen a different outfit. I would have done my hair, and my makeup is justâŚ. Dammit. Why didnât anyone tell me they were going to be here?â
âWhat the heck is she talking about, Jong-in-a?â Jin-woo demanded.
âWeâre not just presenting to Park Soon-joon hyung,â Jong-in said quietly.
âOf course we arenât. Seonsaengnim is there as well,â Jin-woo said. âThis isnât new.â
âItâsâŚ. WeâreâŚ. Jin-woo-ya, Bam Kiseu is in that room!â Min-su said, grabbing him by his vest and shaking him back and forth. âHanYin oppa is in that room! Ki-tae oppa is in that room! Cheongul oppa is in that room!â
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.
âIâm sorry!â But it never landed. He peeked with one eye. Min-su looked completely calm.
âThank you,â she said with a sigh. âI was losing my shit, and thatâs not acceptable.â
âYouâre good?â Jin-woo said.
âIâm good.â
âGood,â Jin-woo said as he began to shake. âIâm going to pass out now.â
And he did just that.
Jin-woo didnât 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-suâs wrist and held her hand to his face for a few moments, closing his eyes once more.
âNo, you cannot pass out on us again. Weâre up next, Jin-woo-ya!â Min-su said, an edge of desperation in her voice.
âIâm not going to pass out again. I just wanted you to stop slapping me and calm down,â he said. Then he slowly sat up, rubbing the back of his head. He looked at Jong-in and teased, âYou couldnât have caught me?â
âNope, Min-su-ya was in the way.â
âHey, this is not my fault,â she said, putting her hands on her hips.
âWell, you were shaking Jin-woo-ya pretty hard,â Jong-in pointed out. âThereâs no need to panic. Theyâre people, just like us.â
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, itâs 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 itâs on break or lunch at a regular day job.
She has found her place in homoerotic romance. To her, love doesnât 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, itâs this: never deny the Muse, she gets cranky and pulls out the bullwhip.
