Category: Adult (18+)

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Deliver Me Audiobook by Remmy Duchene Narrated by Paul Morey

Dreamspinner Presents
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6260

deliver meBlurb

The severe bullying he suffered as a teenager left Jack Flemming scarred both physically and emotionally. Now an adult, he has carved out a life for himself as co-owner of the Mechanic Shop. He enjoys his volunteer work with the throwaway boys, and has a supportive best friend. When the past resurfaces in a phone call from Zachariah Durban, Jack discovers that while living is easy, forgiveness is much harder.
Zachariah Durban did a bad thing when he was a young punk of a teenager. But right after he did it, he knew it wasn’t right. Still, he ran away and made something of himself as a big shot author. Now, living in the south of France with writer’s block hitting him hard, Zachariah knows something has to change – starting with earning Jack Flemming’s forgiveness.

Review

Jack and Zachariah “don’t call me Zac” were friends in high school until one day Zachariah and his football friends do something truly horrible to Jack that leaves him near death.

Now, fifteen years later, Zachariah has writer’s block and he’s calling on Jack for help.
After some resistance, Jack agrees to meet with Zachariah in Southern France and they work out their differences and realize that they still harbor deep feelings for each other and more.

**

Oh man. I really, really wanted to like this book and I really don’t want to write a review full of negativity… I liked the premise so much… I liked the writing and the narration… it seemed to have a nice flow… but…

First, I never understood why Zachariah treated Jack the way he did. It was brutal. Not just a prank, but brutality. And Zac’s answer to why he did it – “I don’t know, it seemed like the right thing at the time”. And, “I thought it was a harmless prank. I wasn’t thinking.” These just don’t jive for me. Even for a 17 year-old boy, none of that makes any sense. Jack was his friend. Even if he wasn’t publicly friends with him or if he was ashamed of the friendship, even if he was scared by his own feelings, even if he was feeling bullied by his football friends (which he never claims to be any of these), the amazingly abusive bullying he took part in makes absolutely no sense and then he simply walks away from him that night and then runs away from him once he finds out Jack’s in the hospital? It just doesn’t make sense.

If I were Jack I don’t believe there would be any way in hell I’d forgive him. Especially when he had not one real reason for doing it.

Second, if we ignore the first major hole in the plot and accept the fact that it happened… what causes Zac’s renewed interest? There are plenty of reasons he could have for wanting to reconnect, but we are given none. Then, when Zac decides he wants to see Jack again, he essentially bullies Jack into flying to France to see him. Why didn’t he just get on a plane himself if it was so important? And why did Jack get on the plane? That made no sense either. Zac almost got Jack killed and it’s Zac who needs closure – let the man come to you! Not to mention Jack has a business to run, kids who depend on him and the man almost got you killed!

Third, now that Jack is in France he goes to see Zac, then runs away when Zac can’t do anything but say he’s sorry, but Jack still stays in Zac’s house. Why not go to a hotel? Why not go home? The next time Jack sees him, Zac tells him he “wants him” and Jack punches Zac and then goes to live with Zac’s sister for a week. That makes no sense either. Again, this super-bad bully treats you like crap, you fly out to France to get closure, Zac can’t say anything that makes you feel better about the past and in fact tells you he wants you (from out of the blue and from a supposedly straight guy) so you appropriately get mad and then you stay with his sister? For a week? And Zac is supposedly looking for Jack this whole time but doesn’t ask his sister about it or talk to her the entire time. It struck me as confusing and very unbelievable.

Fourth, after some awkward discussions, Jack and Zac decide to date and after the second date they have sex. And then they fall in love and go to their high school reunion… it just kept getting more and more unbeliveable.

I don’t want to belittle the author’s efforts because I know that it’s hard to put together a complete story and plug all the little plot holes, but these are large, gaping holes, wide-enough-for-the-Nile-River holes. Obviously, since the book is now an audiobook it must have sold pretty well, but it didn’t gel with me.

I liked Jack’s character and really wanted him to make a stand. If there had been any sort of remotely understandable reason for Zac to act like he did and if Zac had taken some real steps toward making himself forgiven, the story could have been excellent. But having Zac say – “I don’t know why I did it” – just makes no sense and sets the rest of the story up poorly. I couldn’t like Zac. I couldn’t. He never redeemed himself to me and since Jack falls for him (never stopped loving him in fact) he ends up being someone I can’t like either.

Audio

Paul Morey did the narration for the audiobook and he did a nice job. I enjoyed his husky voice and liked the narration well enough to continue where I would have set the book down without finishing. Part of the reason I keep using Zac instead of Zachariah is that hearing Paul say that name over and over became really bulky. I understand why the character didn’t like the nick-name, but reading/hearing the full name repeatedly got distracting. But – having two lovers named Zac and Jack is awkward too.

Overall, I cannot really recommend this book. The MCs don’t act the way I think real people would react and the resulting romance is unbelievable as a result.

I give it 2 of 5 hearts for the narration, the cover and the premise.

2

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Thirty Things by Cate Ashwood

Dreamspinner presents

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6217

ThirtyThingsBlurb

All their lives, Finn and Nate have been inseparable, sharing everything, and when a childhood accident left Finn broken, Nate stood by his side as all his other friends left. After all their years together, there’s one secret Finn still hasn’t revealed: he has been in love with Nate since they were eight years old. Hiding his feelings for twenty-one years—terrified of what might happen if Nate ever found out—has been difficult, but losing his best friend would be worse than living with a bad case of unrequited love. Unfortunately for Finn, Nate doesn’t make it easy.

Nate believes there are some things that just have to be done before your thirtieth birthday. As a gift to Finn, he plans an adventure to check off a list of thirty things to experience before hitting that milestone. Starting in Crawfordsville, Indiana, they tour the country, trying new things and meeting interesting new people. Nate’s having the time of his life, but he can tell Finn is holding something back. As the days count down, navigating the back roads suddenly seems easier than figuring out where their relationship is heading.

One thing’s for certain. There will be no turning back.

Review

This is a stupendously cute story of friends turned lovers. Finn has been crushing on Nate his whole life and it takes a trip across country for Finn to realize that Nate feels the same way.

I loved the individual tasks (30 of them) Nate set up – I want to go on that trip too! (For the record Portland is an awesome town!) It was a fun, light read full of sweet moments, some sexual tension then release and lots and lots of feels.

Though there were times I thought some of the relationship stuff was a bit unrealistic: why Finn was still a virgin, why he kept assuming Nate was just experimenting, why he thought this could ever be anything other than a real relationship… they were minor.

The writing and editing are excellent and the story left me smiling!

4.5 of 5 hearts

4.5

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The Altered by Annabelle Jacobs Blog Tour

TheAltered-fMy new book, The Altered,  was released yesterday. Its a paranormal romance, set twenty years after a laboratory pathogen contaminated the UK water supply.

The two main characters, Daniel and Jordan, both moved to London for the anonymity of a big city, but their lives are very different.

Daniel lives with his best mate, Matt, who he’s known since childhood, and Ash. He’s suspicious by nature as a result of the change, and his treatment by other altereds has left him bitter.
When I started writing this story I had a vague image of what I wanted him to look like. He has silver-blond hair as a result of being altered, sort of like Spike from Buffy, but taller and with less pronounced cheekbones. Although I love Spike, I pictured Daniel as more of a young-ish Leonardo Dicaprio.

Jordan’s whole being was affected by the change. The pathogen not only increased his strength, but his senses as well. He’s fiercely loyal, but possessive–although he tries hard not to come across as overbearing and controlling.
Jordan is dangerous if crossed, but is also someone who can be trusted without question if you were on his side. The guy on the cover for this book is pretty much what I was going for, and Natasha Snow did a great job with it 🙂

Buy links

Amazon US

http://www.amazon.com/Altered-Annabelle-Jacobs-ebook/dp/B00VGAAY2C/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Amazon UK

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Altered-Annabelle-Jacobs-ebook/dp/B00VGAAY2C/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

All Romance ebooks

https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thealtered-1773324-145.html

Barnes and Noble 

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-altered-annabelle-jacobs/1121657605?ean=2940151843713

Smashwords

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/531563

Excerpt:

He laughed at the joke Matt was in the middle of telling, chipping in for a bit and teasing him, and then he felt it again, creeping up the back of his spine like icy fingers. Daniel stayed perfectly still, suppressing his body’s natural reaction, and carefully turned to place his empty pint glass on the bar.
He let his gaze wander along to the end of the bar, past the couple he’d spotted earlier, and—
Bloody Hell.
He sucked in a sharp breath before he could stop himself. Usually he got a flash of images, depending on how much they’d been altered—claws, teeth, and fur if they changed fully, but never anything like this. One minute Daniel was looking at a tall dark-haired, really hot man, and in the blink of an eye he’d changed into a huge black wolf, fangs bared in a snarl—clearer than anything he’d seen before.
The image vanished almost as soon as it appeared, and the noise from the bar suddenly jarred Daniel back to his senses.
Fuck.

Blurb:

Twenty years ago the UK’s water supply was contaminated with an experimental pathogen, Lycanaeris, causing widespread panic across the nation. Terrorism was suspected but never proven, and when nothing happened–no epidemic, no unexplained illnesses–the whole episode was written off as an elaborate hoax. But Lycanaeris was selective. Only those of a certain age, and with a specific gene in their DNA were infected. Time would reveal the pathogen’s true nature, when those susceptible grew up Altered.

Daniel is one of thousands forced to hide his altered status by living a quiet life. He’s not like the others, though. Daniel can’t help looking so distinctive or being able to see every altered for what they really are. To those abducting altereds, that skill makes him valuable.

For Jordan, shifting from human to wolf means living under the radar to avoid unwanted attention. Meeting Daniel complicates matters. Daniel’s existence is a threat to Jordan and his friends, but Jordan can’t seem to shake the strange connection between them. When danger threatens, there’s little time for Daniel and Jordan to work out their feelings before lives are at stake.

Annabelle_Jacobs_logoAuthor Bio

Annabelle Jacobs lives in the South West of England with her husband, three rowdy children, and two cats.

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

Author Links

Twitter – https://twitter.com/AJacobs_fiction

Website – http://www.annabellejacobs.com

Email – [email protected]

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

Giveaway:

Leave a comment on this blog post for a chance to win an ebook from Annabelle’s backlist!

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Spice by Lilah Suzanne

Interlude press presents: http://store.interludepress.com/collections/frontpage/products/spice-by-lilah-suzanne-printed-book

Spice-COVER

Blurb

As writer of the popular “Ask Eros” advice column, Simon Beck has an answer to every relationship question his readers can throw at him. When it comes to his own life, the answers are a little more elusive—until computer troubles introduce him to the newest and cutest member of his company’s IT support team. Simon may be charmed by Benji’s sweet and unassuming manner, but will he find the answer to the one relationship question he has never been able to solve: how to know when he’s met Mr. Right?

Review

Simon is crushing on a one-night-stand/sometimes-hook-up named Andrew (who is a total douche!) when he meets Benji. Benji immediately feels right, looks right, makes him laugh and seems to really like Simon… so of course Simon screws it up and almost ruins the relationship before it can begin.

But… when Simon’s sweet dog gets sick, Benji is there to lend support and the two manage to start over – this time on the right foot.

From this point forward the relationship moves fairly quickly and steadily forward, using Simon’s articles on keeping the spice in your love life as a guide to explore one another and deepen their relationship.

There are some small obstacles and a couple big ones along the way, but in the end the couple has a very, very HEA and we are left with a huge smile on our face.

**

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and as we speak I am planning on reading the other book she has listed in GoodReads! I adored this book on so many levels!

First, I love that it is a story about a relationship. Not anything else. Just two boys falling in love and all that that entails.

Second, I absolutely adored both MCs. Benji is perfection. Nerdy, sweet, hot, funny, loyal… Simon is a little awkward, well-intentioned, a little vain, also hot, snarky but not mean, and just insecure enough to be endearing.  The secondary characters are well-developed and add to the story without stealing the limelight.

Third, there’s a dog and a cat and as everyone knows, anyone who loves pets is good people.

Fourth, the sex is plentiful but does not overrun the story and is really purposeful in moving the relationship forward.

Fifth, the pop references, the snark, and they dialog are all very witty and fun.

Sixth, the emotions are sweet, real, imperfect but fantastic.

I had to read this all in one sitting because I was utterly captivated from page one. If you are in the mood for angst –  this book is not for you. If you’re in the mood for a sweet love story involving real people and tender emotion – this is your book.
(Be forewarned, it’s written in third person narrative real time and this can be a little disconcerting at times – but it’s very well done and I honestly didn’t mind it a bit.)

5 of 5 hearts

5

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Lilah Suzanne’s ‘Spice’ Tour with Guest Post, Excerpt, and Giveaway

Spice 4x6x COVER-Front-1Excerpt:

“How about you? Did you always want to be a writer?”

“Yeah. I think I did.” He finally gives up on work completely and closes the laptop. “I mean. I guess what I write about is kind of pointless, but I wanted to be a poet once upon a time, so I guess it could be even more pointless,” he jokes.

Benji’s eyebrows knot. “It’s not. Why would it be pointless?”

Simon gives a humorless laugh. “I mean, I write a sex column for women. Not exactly moving prose or hard-hitting journalism.”

Benji scoots over little on the desk, sitting with his legs so close to where Simon is sitting low in his chair that he can smell Benji’s crisp laundry detergent and citrusy soap. He suddenly has to fight the urge to move a fraction to the left, press his nose to the inside seam of Benji’s jeans and breathe him in.

“You listen to people. You remind them that they’re valuable and worthy of love and respect. How is that not important?” Simon is struck speechless, chest tight and breath caught. Then Benji claps him on the shoulder and hops off the desk. “Come on. Let’s go have lunch.”
Pages or Words: 228 Pages

Spice600x600Banner-1

Buy:

Interlude Press Web Store: http://store.interludepress.com/collections/frontpage/products/spice-by-lilah-suzanne-printed-book
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Spice-Lilah-Suzanne/dp/1941530257/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1423000037&sr=8-1&keywords=spice+lilah+suzanne

Ask the author:

 

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

More than anything I want the readers of Spice to come away from the story with a sense of happiness. In a genre that sways towards heavy drama and heartache, I wanted to offer something fun and funny, and a look at a relationship that’s about two people who genuinely like and take pleasure in one another.

The overall message would probably be that a relationship itself can be a compelling story. I wanted to take the standard story beats of a Rom Com, make it a little more modern and honest, and then take it beyond that: What happens after the happily ever after? I wanted to settle into this relationship and bring the reader inside. What does this committed relationship look like? How does it feel? What are the ups and downs and joys and sorrows within it? I want readers to fall in love with Simon and fall in love with Benji right along with him. And then I want them to fall in love with their relationship.

Stories about heartache and angst are important, and interesting, and certainly something I enjoy. But with Spice I really started from a place of wanting something that was fun and joyful, and I believe that not only is there room in the romance genre for this sort of story, but that it’s important and interesting and the type of narrative I wish I’d seen more of when I was figuring out what love looks like. If a reader comes away at the end of Spice with a smile on their face, then that’s more than enough of a message for me.

Author Bio:

Lilah Suzanne has been writing actively since the sixth grade, when a literary magazine published her essay about an uncle who lost his life to AIDS. A freelance writer, she also authored a children’s book and has a devoted following in the online fan community.

Where to find the author:
http://www.lilahsuzanne.com
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/lilahsuzanne
Twitter: @lilahsuzanne
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lilahsuzanne/

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Defined by Deceit-A.E. Via

Publisher: Self Publish


Life isn’t always fair, and that’s something that Llewellyn Gardner knows about first hand. His life was on the fast track until one night of extreme passion changed everything. Now eight years later, he’s still living with the aftershocks of that night. Everywhere he turns or runs, there’s another reminder. What the hell do you do when you try to drown your demons only to find out they can swim? 


Shane Smith, Jr. owner of Smith Construction, could see the emotional turmoil within his new employee — it’s why he hired him. There was something about the gorgeous, misunderstood man with the overly expressive eyes that came to their small town with a past no one was willing to overlook. Shane could see the good in Llewellyn, and those eyes of his were a clear window to his soul. Shane wasn’t going to let the man live a future of solitude because his past had been plagued with deceit. 

Llewellyn wasn’t sure what to think about Shane. After years of protecting himself from being tricked twice, he was now faced with worry again. What would happen to him if Shane didn’t believe his truth and walked away? Llewellyn wasn’t sure he’d be able to survive being left alone. Again.

  

WoW, wow, WOW. Where do I start? This is how you measure how good a book is. When you want step into the storyline and open a box of a whoop ass on some of the characters while wanting to hug and kiss other characters. The book was appropriately named was such a great read. Llewellyn was truly defined by deceit. He was a man betrayed in probably one of the worst way possible by someone he loved and who he thought loved him in return.  Almost a decade later, he was still defined by that lie, that lie that destroyed his life all those years ago. 

I absolutely love this book. The beginning was heartbreaking. You were saddened by the life Llewellyn lost, his dreams snatched away from him. It was this rough and heartbreaking beginning that made his HEA all the more sweeter. If there was anyone who deserved a happy ending, it was Llewellyn. Along the way, I felt that angels were watching over him by placing people in his path that saved and sustained him. His brother Leslie whose love and loyalty helped keep him sane in and out of prison. Ace, whose protection and friendship also kept him sane and safe in prison.  Then there’s Ms. Pat whose kindness and sweet spirit put him on the path to trusting in people again and Shane, whose love healed him. 

I can’t come up with enough words to tell you how much I enjoyed reading this book.  This is another great read from A.E. Via. Her characters, storyline, everything about this book was amazing.  And the ending? It gave me life!  

This is a definite recommended must read. 

Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️AMAZING⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Technically Dating Audiobook by Jenna Wade narrated by John-Paul Barrel

Dreamspinner presents:
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6199

TechnicallyDatingAUDMEDBlurb

Meek and mild Bruce Collins decides to set aside his life in technical support for the evening and try a wild night on the town. Self-described nerd Bruce meets suave Westley Taylor at a club, but the night doesn’t go as planned. When they run into each other the next day, Bruce is determined to get the details right and finish what they started. Westley is impressed and invites Bruce on date after date. Bruce figures they’re technically dating and might even be in a relationship, until he accidentally overhears a phone message intended for Westley. Every aspect of their time together comes into question. Now, it’s time for Westley to set the facts straight.

Review

Bruce meets Westley on the dance floor one night while on a business trip. Because he’s naturally very shy, Bruce puts on a persona that allows himself to be “free” and allows him to hook up with Westley (whom he thinks is out of his league) where normally he’d be too reticent.

Though the hook-up was fantastic, he gets called away before numbers can be exchanged and both he and Westley are saddened by this. Luckily they end up meeting again at Westley’s job.

What comes next is a rocky friends-with-benefits-relationship that morphs into something more. But – since neither guy is really great at communication, things go horribly wrong and almost end tragically.

Have no fear, they work out their differences and we get a solid HEA.
**
I loved 85% of this book.

I really enjoyed both MCs and the smexy times were hot. Westley’s ability to draw Bruce out of his shell was sweet and I thought it was going to be a pretty straight-forward type “oh, we LOVE each other” type ending. Instead, there is a terrible misunderstanding that didn’t really make a lot of sense and it kind of bummed me out.

Bruce reacts really poorly to something that should have been obvious and would have been easily cleared up with a simple conversation, but instead almost rips them apart. It didn’t fit with the rest of the story and their relationship and sort of came from left field.

If you ignore that part and just enjoy the rest of the story, it’s worth the read/listen.

Audio
This is the first narration for me by John-Paul Barrel. He did a nice job, nothing really remarkable but he let the story tell itself without distraction.

Overall 3.5 of 5 hearts

3.5

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Shaken Up by Nicole Forcine

ShakenUp

 

From Dreamspinner:

Tim Myers is the flamboyant and overly fastidious owner of the adult shop Little Earthquakes. In his spare time, he moonlights as a sub for his friend’s BDSM classes, and while he’d love to find a Dom to cater to his domestic servitude kink, he’s wary of exposing his body and his heart. When Jae Seong comes into Tim’s shop and asks him for help with a wax play demo, Tim is turned off by the idea. Jae is nothing if not persistent, though. He’s a skilled Dom and soon finds out why Tim is so protective of his body, his neck, and his heart. Over a series of play dates, the two grow close, and it dawns on Tim that he might be looking at a match made for collaring.

Marieke’s thoughts:

This story starts out very funny, with Tim helping a woman trying to convince her very straight man to take a dildo in the back door. Tim’s funny, helpful and very confident, but that’s only when it comes to his shop. In real life he’s scared and closed down––with good reason. He’s a sub but doesn’t want a Dom for himself, or so he tells himself. To get his nerves under control he sometimes helps David and Reggie––two friends who happen to be big bad Dom’s––to do demo’s for a local BDSM group.

In walks Jae, who’s a Dom but not one of the overly macho ones. Jae asks him to do a demo in wax play and somehow convinces him to not only do it but also practice a few times. David is the one to tell Tim that maybe Jae could be more than just a temporary play partner. Tim is scared but secretly a little excited.
When they do the practice scene, Tim and Jae connect and Tim finally tells Jae the story of why he’s so afraid.

The story started so funny that I was sure this was going to be one hell of a good story, but somewhere it went a bit askew. Not that it isn’t a good story, but it didn’t get to the great stage. The characters are all very likeable, the story line is great, the setting is wonderful, yet somehow it’s just not….awesome. Maybe it’s the fact that it’s pretty short and the author doesn’t go into the depths of feelings and situations. Whatever it is, I’m missing something.

I did enjoy the story. The connection between Jae and Tim is sweet and the kinky side of the book is very nice too. David and Reggie are funny Dom yenta’s and Gloria is the dirty minded best friend. The bad guy––who only gets talked about but never appears–– is a big bad Dom who scared Tim off pretty badly…but not bad enough.

All in all, this story was worth the read, but I won’t be rereading it, I think. A sweet short, with a dash of kink.

3

 

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Hunted Guardian by MD Grimm

Dreampsinner Presents:  http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5535

BlurbHuntedGuardian

The Shifters: Book Seven

In eighteenth-century Egypt, falcon shifter Con’s parents died attempting to keep powerful, ancient scrolls out of the hands of a monster. Now it falls to Con to keep the scrolls hidden and lead the hunter away so their sacrifice isn’t for nothing. But he isn’t quite fast enough, and he finds himself helpless in an unfamiliar English countryside village. That is, until a beautiful man with a limp carries Con to his manor to tend to his wounds.

As an alpha wolf, Quincy’s compassion is not valued by his pack, which leads him to nurse the falcon in secret. A bond quickly forms between Quincy and the mysterious raptor, so he’s concerned at Con’s reaction to the arrival of another visitor, the Countess Blackburn.

Review

(From previous site)

Quincy is a werewolf who is the guardian for his pack. He cannot shift and hunt with the pack because he was born with a bum leg, but he stands sentry and watches for danger. He has a soft spot for injured wild life (despite the pack’s view that this is a weakness) and finds and rehabs an injured falcon one day.

The falcon is really Con, a shifter himself, who guards scrolls that hold the secret for destroying all shifters. Con is on the run, injured by hunters who work for an evil witch. The witch wishes to rid the earth of shifters. Con realizes that Quincy is more than just a helpful wolf shifter, he might be his Mate.
Instead of flying away when his wing heals, Con shifts to human and tells Quincy of the danger headed his way. The witch who hunts Con is going to try to infiltrate Quincy’s pack and destroy it from the inside.

Though Quincy’s pack is reluctant to trust a stranger, they prepare for a confrontation. When the witch shows up she shows her true colors, Con is appreciated and war is waged. By this time, Quincy and Con realize they are Mates, despite all the odds against a mixed mating, and don’t want to be apart.

Quincy’s Alpha cannot admit Con into the pack and Quincy must choose between Con and the Pack. Quincy, of course, chooses Con and the two travel across the ocean to search for other lost or packless shifters. Together, with the help of another lone shifter, they start the shifter-town Haven, which is featured in the previous books of this series.

**

This is an absolutely lovely origins story for this shifter series by MD Grimm. I have not read the earlier books, but now I’m going to. The author’s style is fluid and fanciful. She stays true to the historical aspect and theme of this story and yet doesn’t bog the storyline down with needless details just to prove she knows her history.

The love between Con and Quincy is so sweet it’s almost painful. They are both so lonely (for differing reasons) and never thought they’d find love, so they treasure their relationship that much more. The tension between the Pack and the witch, the witch and Con, Con and the Pack, etcetera, is done very well. It is both exciting and realistic and acts to sort of make a statement about forgiveness and acceptance and diversity.

I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the earlier parts of the series

I highly recommend this book and give it a 5 of 5 hearts.

5

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Under Glass Rebecca Cohen Blog Tour with Excerpt and Giveaway

UG coverExcerpt:

The East Terrace had clear views of the city and the hills in the distance, and the setting sun bathed the world in hues of red, purple, and orange. “One of the best views from the palace,” Ollie said. “Guests aren’t usually allowed here.”

Kai glanced back to the door. “Will we get in trouble?”

“No, Menish is a personal friend. He won’t mind.”

“Must be good to have a friend who rules the city.”

Ollie chuckled. “We went to school together. I often have to remind myself that he’s the sultan and not the kid who helped me toilet paper the housemaster’s study windows.”

“Very good friends.”

Ollie didn’t think Kai needed to know just how good a friend Menish had been at one point, although what they had enjoyed was nothing more serious than teenage exploration. “Put it this way: he’d have no problem with me showing you this terrace.”

“The sunset is quite beautiful,” Kai said, turning to face it, and Ollie thought Kai wanted to steer the conversation away from Menish.

“Yes. It changes through the seasons, but I think this is my favorite time of year.”

“Then I am fortunate we chose this time to visit and a place on the mission became available.”

Kai’s choice of word in calling his visit a mission was a little strange, but Ollie thought better of mentioning anything. “Oh, you were. The festival to celebrate the end of harvest starts in a few days, and the city is awash with stalls and street entertainment.”

Kai turned back to him, cocked his head to one side, and smiled. “Perhaps you would agree to be my guide for that as well?”

The hopeful expression and the slight smile made Ollie swallow thickly as he stared into Kai’s dark brown eyes in the failing light. Kai bit his bottom lip and tilted his head back a little to look Ollie in the eye, making Ollie lick his own lips involuntarily. His hand twitched to cup Kai’s cheek and rub his thumb across his cheekbone to prove his hypothesis that Kai’s skin would be soft and warm to the touch.

The little voice in the back of his head returned, and it bluntly reminded Ollie he wasn’t a single man. The pang of guilt made him turn away, and he saw a confused look on Kai’s face. Not only was he in danger of betraying Rica, but he was also leading Kai along on a dance that Kai didn’t know Ollie already had a partner for.

He stepped away, shaking his head. “I’m sorry, Kai. I can’t do this. While I can’t deny you have caught my eye like no one else, I am not the type of man to be unfaithful.” There, he’d said it, made it clear he was attached, and Kai’s expression morphed first to confusion and then into hurt. “I don’t understand.”

“I have a boyfriend.”

“Boyfriend?” asked Kai weakly.

“His name is Rica. He’s away at sea.” The devastation on Kai’s face almost made Ollie step closer and gather him into his arms, but he forced himself to put more distance between them. “I’m sorry, Kai. I was so wrapped up in the connection we seemed to share I lost sight of things. I should never have let it get this far, and I must stop it going further.”

“I see.” Kai turned away. “I wish you a good evening, Mr. Gyin. If you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to enjoy the view a little longer before I find one of the servants to show me to my room.”

“Of course. I’ll see you in the morning.”

Kai didn’t reply, and Ollie retreated back inside, part of his mind protesting that he was going the wrong way, the other part telling him he was doing the right thing. He turned back to see Kai still standing on the terrace, his head bent. Ollie fled, fearing that if he stayed a moment longer he’d do something he’d really enjoy but regret later.

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About the author:

Rebecca Cohen is a Brit abroad. Having swapped the Thames for the Rhine, she has left London behind and now lives with her husband and young son in Basel, Switzerland. She can often be found with a pen in one hand and a cup of Darjeeling in the other.

Short Interview: 

Kimi-Chan:
What character in ‘Under Glass’ was your favorite?

Without hesitation I’d say Kai. In ‘Under Glass’, certain people are born with an organ called a caerellon. The caerellon governs a biological process called psychogenetics which links an individual with their perfect partner. Kai thinks he has lost his true love and has made the best of it by joining the novices, giving him the chance to learn to build and look after the planets. But it hasn’t been easy for him, having been bullied at school and pitied for losing his true love. He is pretty resilient. I loved reuniting him with Ollie, but I’m afraid the path of true love doesn’t run smooth.

Did the story go exactly as you expected, or did the characters drag you off in a different direction?

I’m what you could call a plotter, and I planned a lot of the story before I started writing with most of the big elements in place. What did happen was I had to move a few things around and change the order to help the flow and pace of the overall story.

What do you hope people get out of ‘Under Glass’?

On paper, reuniting Kai and Ollie should mean they get their true love. But as you can imagine it’s not that simple. Here I wanted to show that just because you think you deserve something doesn’t mean you don’t have to work for it. But something precious is worth the wait and work needed to achieve it.

Where to find the author:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/rebecca.cohen.710

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/R_Cohen_writes

Goodreads Link: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25128249-under-glass

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Cover Artist: L.C. Chase

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