Like I Know Jack by MC Lee

 

knowjackFrom Harmony Ink:

Jack is about to embark on a new mission. Agent Anna Baxter has tried his patience on previous assignments, and he expects more of the same. On the bright side, he’ll also be working with Leo McCormack. The three agents must go undercover to insinuate themselves into a drug ring led by Gregor Slovik, and to do so, they must gain the trust of Gregor’s friend, high schooler Connor White. This creates a dilemma for Jack—Connor is gay, which gives Jack an opening to make a connection with him. But should he exploit it? Luckily Jack has Leo to turn to for advice and support, and together they try to avoid falling into the traps that arise during the mission. But Agent Baxter has an agenda of her own—one that forces Jack into a treacherous situation.

There was no obvious surveillance equipment in this room, but Jack knew the pinhole on the wall behind the interrogator’s head was a camera that was hooked up to a monitor, which was no doubt being watched by his handler, Sean. Most likely the feed was also being routed to one of the bank of screens in his guardian’s office. Jack fought down the urge to raise his middle finger, figuring it would end badly for him if he gave in to the impulse. Instead he forced himself to focus on Dr. Clark and tried to come up with answers that wouldn’t get him sent to a retraining program.
“So, Jack,” she said, “would you say your last assignment was a success?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Jack replied.
Sometimes she let him get away with monosyllabic answers; sometimes she pressed him for more. This time she wanted more.
“What, in particular, did you feel was successful?”

Kimi’s thoughts:

Book three pick up right where the previous title left off and plunges the reader headfirst into the next assignment. It’s a turn about for Jack as he’s asked to assume a role akin to the one Leo  had played when Jack himself had been the unwitting target. This causes him to re-examine his feelings and think more with his brain, though as he’s Jack, his heart gets in the way and he once more finds out that there are wheels within wheels within wheels, deceptions and double crosses designed to manipulate not only the marks. No longer sure of who he can trust, Jack  once more goes with his gut. Once he’s made his choice, his very life and the outcome of the op depend on it.

I must say here that Agent Baxter is a stone cold bitch, but given Jack’s early upbringing at the Center (with Judith), I’m surprised he has such a violent person reaction to her. He doesn’t remember his own Mom, just Judith, and never got to watch TV until three years ago, and then that was carefully vetted (only enough to build the role he was assuming) so it’s bit puzzling as to why he doesn’t see her as normal. She’s certainly no worse than his guardian. I also have very mixed feelings about Sean, given the “discipline” he gives Jack when even a minor rule infraction occurs, particularly when it happens under the rigid confines of The Centre itself. These are just niggles though, not enough to get in the way of a good thriller, which this most definitely was. I’m looking forward to reading the next in the series.

Rating: 4

kimisig

If You Knew Jack by MC Lee

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From Harmony Ink:

Jack Carlisle has returned to the Center after an assignment designed to push him to the edge of his limits—and beyond. He is given just a few short days to get used to a new identity and a new team. He’s been trained to assume a new identity, but working with a new team is more difficult, especially since it throws him back in the path of Leo McCormack, the boy who stole Jack’s heart and handed it back broken into tiny pieces. With “Jack Carlisle” dead and “Jack Cross” reborn comes a new mission. Jack Cross and his team are sent undercover to Forbes Academy, an elite boys’ school in rural Connecticut. Here they must protect Adam and Sam North, whose lives are threatened by an unknown source. Jack’s training never prepared him to deal with the animosity he still feels toward Leo, but he knows the only way to figure out the cause of the danger in time to save Adam and Sam is to work together.

Kimi’s thoughts:

Not having read the first book in the series , I was unsure how easy I’d find this to follow. I was pleasantly surprised to find that enough backstory was woven in that I had no trouble at all and was quickly engrossed in the story that unfolded. Jack has spent what he can remember of his life at The Center, from early childhood to the age of 16. he comes to grips with what he sees as betrayal along with the discovery of his sexuality, all the while having to channel normal teenaged rebellion into acceptable outlets. he doesn’t even know what is normal, thanks to only having been at The Centre or tightly under their control while out on assignments that are all very James Bond (though without Q, the cool car, or the super fancy gadgets).
This assignment is no different, though he’s now questioning everything he’s previously trusted or thought he knew. He’s also unsure of what to do about his feelings about Leo, hesitant to place his faith in him after what had gone down between them during the previous assignment. It all comes to a head with the fate of the two young boys he and Leo are assigned to protect seemingly in the balance. A real page turner with enough twists and turns to keep fans of the suspense genre interested and angsty romance to sweeten the deal.

Rating: 4

kimisig

Champagne Kisses by Lynda Aicher

From Riptide:

The Christmas Eve wedding Evan Cleary pulled together in four weeks is crashing down around him and taking his fledgling event planning business with it. With an empty altar and over a hundred guests arriving soon, he turns to the resistant, gorgeous brother of the runaway groom for help.

When Richard Patterson’s flamboyant brother storms out hours before he’s scheduled to marry his equally dramatic partner, Richard is left dealing with the fallout. The last thing he wants is more drama, yet he can’t deny his attraction to the effeminate event planner trying to salvage the wedding.

Evan thinks his crush on Richard is a lost cause, but one steaming kiss later, he learns different. What starts as a night of hot sex turns into a connection neither expected. But Evan knows their relationship is hopeless unless the ultra-conservative Richard can embrace every part of him—both in private and in public.

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Kimi’s thoughts:

Recently there seem to have been a trend in the m/m publishing world that harkens me back to the old Harlequin romance novel days, circa the early to mid 1970’s. Those were the very first romance novels I ever read, pulled from the family back shelf once I was old enough to read them. This definitely follows the fluffy formula, complete with the requisite head hopping so one knows that the gruff romantic lead is as head over heels and unsure of himself as his quarry is. It’s a short and sweet romance with the reasons for self doubt being gay specific enough that it didn’t read as if a m/f romance had been done over for a new audience, but written specifically for the m/m audience.

It’s one of those reads where you don’t have to think or feel too much, just sit back and enjoy the tasty treat as it’s served up. Admittedly, every thing is a little TOO pat, but it’s perfect for de-stressing or just general relaxation (such as a poolside or for reading on the work commute), this is not the read if you want something meaty or filled with deep angst. It’s a one night stand after weeks of apparently gazing surreptitiously at each other from across rooms, but it’s a one night stand that ends with a sugary sweet as cotton candy happy ever after that’s even tacked on as a very brief epilogue.

 

Rating: 3.5

kimisig

Clockwork Heart (Clockwork Love book 1) by Heidi Cullinan

clockworkFrom Samhain:

As the French army leader’s bastard son, Cornelius Stevens enjoys a great deal of latitude. But when he saves an enemy soldier using clockwork parts, he’s well aware he risks hanging for treason. That doesn’t worry him half as much, however, as the realization he’s falling for his patient.

Johann Berger never expected to survive his regiment’s suicide attack on Calais, much less wake up with mechanical parts. To avoid discovery, he’s forced to hide in plain sight as Cornelius’s lover—a role Johann finds himself taking to surprisingly well.

When a threat is made on Cornelius’s life, Johann learns the secret of the device implanted in his chest—a mythical weapon both warring countries would kill to obtain. Caught up in a political frenzy, in league with pirates, dodging rogue spies, mobsters and princesses with deadly parasols, Cornelius and Johann have no time to contemplate how they ended up in this mess. All they know is, the only way out is together—or not at all.

 

Kimi’s thoughts:

As one might surmise from the blurb and cover, this is a steampunk adventure romance. It has a lot going for it- despite the time it is set, it has a contemporary vibe in tone and doesn’t bog itself down in trying to be overly historical. It stays true to it’s aim, that of of providing swashbuckling adventure with pirates, soldiers, airships, and clockwork while serving up a dollop of romance. It’s a sweet romance on many fronts but this is Heidi Cullinan so it’s not syrupy and there is a definite edge to how our heroes like to play.

The villains are properly heinous, though much less fully fleshed out as characters than our heroes. The plot itself is fast moving though the late introduction of the parasol wielding princess felt a bit overly convenient. All in all though, this was a great way to spend some time if in the mood for something lightly spiced and most definitely fun.

Buy from Amazon

4

kimisig

Blog Tour: The Covenant by M. LeAnne Phoenix with Excerpt and Giveaway

CoverThe Covenant E-Book Cover with logo

Author Name: M. LeAnne Phoenix

Book Name: The Covenant

Series: Covenant Series

Book: One

Release Date: January 15, 2016

Blurb:

When love is forbidden, who can you trust?

Seventeen year old David has been best friends with Jonathan for as long as he can remember, but the day he sees the pastor’s daughter press a soft kiss to Jonathan’s cheek everything changes. Overcome by jealousy, his explosive reaction reveals a deeper connection that sends their relationship spiraling down into dangerous territory.

When their clandestine love is discovered, they have nowhere to turn for help. The brutal circumstances of their parting test David and Jonathan’s covenant to each other in unimaginable ways. Forced to face their fears, it is in their darkest moments that the two young men discover that the courage, hope, and strength they need to to fight for their love, has been the foundation of their covenant all along.

Continue reading “Blog Tour: The Covenant by M. LeAnne Phoenix with Excerpt and Giveaway”

The Other Side of Winter by G.B. Gordon

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From Riptide:

Skanian investigator Bengt fell in love with fellow policeman Alex Rukow in a week. But that was a year ago, and they’ve been apart ever since. Then Alex escapes the corrupt and destitute island nation of Santuario and comes to live with Bengt. Happy ever after . . .?

Alex’s lifelong dream of leaving Santuario has come true at last. But he finds himself adrift in a society he doesn’t understand. Worse, past nightmares come back to haunt him, and after so many years of suspicion and self-reliance, it’s harder than he imagined to trust someone else.

Bengt just wants Alex to share his comfortable life. But the more he tries to give, the more Alex pulls away. Their physical connection couldn’t be better, but Bengt can’t seem to get through to his difficult, taciturn lover outside the bedroom. Meanwhile, he has his own demons to confront—not to mention a serial killer on the loose.

Bengt and Alex must dig deep for the courage to face their pasts, but it may be too late to save their relationship or their lives.

 

Kimi’s thoughts:

It seemed like FOREVER before this came out. No, seriously, it did. You see, I’d been waiting ever since I finished the very last word on the very last of Santuario, so when this came out, I was ecstatic. The story picks up shortly after Alex has left Santuario and begun his new life with Bengt. It’s far from easy though, as culture shock sets in and he finds himself adrift. Add in his PTSD and Bengt’s own issues and you get a volatile mix.

The solutions to the serial killer case and their relationship woes, as well as Alex’s finding his feet, is far from simple. The separate issues become intertwined and the result is a tightly plotted suspense story with realistic romantic nuances. It’s a great read and I’m hoping Gordon continues with this as a series.

Rating: amazing

 

Blog Tour: Nuts About You by Kate Lowell

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&nbspNathan’s been crushing on one of his regular Bulk Mart customers for a while now. In his squirrel form, he sits on Vince’s bird feeders, munching on seeds and enjoying the eye candy. Until the day Vince catches him raiding the feeder…

Pages or Words: 11,500 words

Categories: Contemporary, Fiction, Gay Fiction, Humor, M/M Romance, Paranormal (Shifters: Squirrel), Romance, Urban Fantasy

Excerpt:
The best part was coming next. Nathan took an absentminded bite of the sunflower seed in his paw and hung a little further out from the feeder to get a better view. Because now, the body wash was coming out. Vince’s hand stretched past Nathan’s field of vision, returning with what looked like the Natural Sea Sponge Vince had bought at Bulk Mart a month ago. He flicked open the cap on the almond-scented body wash and spread it on the sponge. Though Nathan couldn’t smell it through the window, he knew that scent. It drove him wild—he stopped to sniff it every time he walked down the aisle, and he even had a bottle on his bedside table. Not to use, just to smell every night as he lay in bed, wishing it was Vince’s hand on him instead of his own.
There it went, the sponge traveling over all the places where Nathan would like to run his tongue. Vince started on his neck, smooth up and down movements covering his skin with a rich lather. The bubbles slid down his body, clinging in a way that made Nathan irrationally jealous of them. The sponge followed the bubbles down, making circles over the sleek chest, then crisscrossing back and forth over the flat stomach and past his bellybutton, with its narrow trail of hair leading down to—OH MY WALNUTS!

Buy the book:

All Romance  https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-nutsaboutyou-1955968-145.html

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B019X1MXKQ?ref_=pe_2427780_160035660

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1071207061

Meet the author:

Kate Lowell lives on the east coast of Canada, in an old farm house that has way more personality than it has any right to. During the winter, she spends her time dreading snow, cursing at snow, shoveling snow, and scheming ways to shove it down the kids’ necks. During the summer, she prays not to have snow. :)

Kate likes to play in ALL the sandboxes. While her main genres are paranormal and contemporary suspense, she is also interested in science fiction, fantasy and–weirdly–romantic comedy. She’s willing to pay large amounts of money to anyone who can come up with plot-bunny repellent, which she will first use on herself, then sell to LA Witt for an exorbitant price to recoup her costs.

You can contact her at katelowellbooks (at) gmail.com . If you think you’d like to try writing gay romance, come visit her critique group (Link can be found at http://katelowell.com). New members are always welcome.

Where to find the author:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008313548018
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Kate_Lowell
Website: http://katelowell.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7132484.Kate_Lowell

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28219642-nuts-about-you
Publisher: Kate Lowell
Cover Artist: Ana J. Phoenix
Tour Dates & Stops:
Parker Williams, The Jena Wade, Tara Lain, BFD Book Blog, Bonkers About Books, Kiki’s Kinky Picks, Open Skye Book Reviews, Kimi-Chan, Bayou Book Junkie, My Fiction Nook, Chris McHart, QUEERcentric Books, Happily Ever Chapter, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, The Hat Party, Havan Fellows, Velvet Panic, Nautical Star Books, Hearts on Fire, V’s Reads, A.M. Leibowitz, Inked Rainbow Reads, Boy Meets Boy Reviews, Nephy Hart, Molly Lolly, MM Good Book Reviews, Caraway Carter, 3 Chicks After Dark, Alpha Book Club

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