Category: ebook

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Conflict in Blood (Partnership in Blood Volume 3) by Ariel Tachna

Dreamspinner Presents http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5557

ConflictinBloodBlurb

Sequel to Covenant in Blood
Partnership in Blood Volume Three

As the Alliance wizard-vampire partnerships grow stronger, the dark wizards feel the effects and become increasingly desperate to find enough information to counter them, unaware of the growing strain of the blood-magic bonds on the wizards and vampires alike.

The conflict is spreading. The strife of uncomfortable relationships, both personal and professional, is threatening to tear up the Alliance from the inside, despite the efforts of Alain Magnier and Orlando St. Clair, Thierry Dumont and Sebastien Noyer, and even Raymond Payet and Jean Bellaiche, leader of the Paris vampires, who is fighting to establish a stable covenant with his own partner so he might lead by example.

As the war rages on and heartbreaking casualties mount on both sides, the dark wizards keep searching for clues to understand and counter the strength of the Alliance, while the blood-bound Alliance partners hunt through ancient prejudices and forgotten lore to find an edge that can turn the tide of the war once and for all.

Review

In this, the third installment of the Partnership series, there is more conflict between the dark wizards and the wizard/vampire alliance.

As in book two the various couples have their own emotional hurdles to overcome and their relationships change and develop.

They develop a new way to counter the magic imbalance – through sex – of course!

**

This book still has the problem of balancing all the various couples (including m/f!) and the war. There is slightly more relationship building in this book (yay!) and each couple seems to be moving forward nicely, though there isn’t much dramatic change in the way of the war, yet.

Overall a nice, if perhaps overly long, addition to the Partnership series.

If you’ve been caught up in books one and two you will undoubtedly want to keep going…

4 of 5 hearts

4

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Moment of Clarity (Moments in time book 3) by Karen Stivali

Dreamspinner Presents
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6283
MomentofClarityBlurb

Spending the summer together on Fire Island brought Collin and Tanner closer than ever, but back in their conservative college town, challenges confront them at every turn.

As they search for their new normal in their old environment, Collin’s brother Sean surprises them with help when they need it most. But when word about their relationship gets out, trouble erupts with friends and family. When Collin’s relationship with Tanner becomes an issue in his brother’s custody battle and Tanner struggles with his feelings for a heartbroken Wendy, Collin wonders if everyone he cares about would be better off without him in the picture.

In order to save them both, Tanner must make it clear to Collin that their love for each other is all that matters

Review
(Spoilers- be forewarned.)

 

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Oh! The Drama! For such a short book, this is chock full of angst and drama.

So we left our boys in the gym, temporarily homeless after a flood put their dorm room off limits for repairs. This made them sad and horny.
They get together with Sean, and as he leaves the house to them for a bit of alone time, the estranged wife surprises them and shouts horrible things at them. This leaves them sad and horny.

But – that’s not enough, she uses this information – Sean’s association with a gay brother to try to keep Sean from his kids. This makes the boys sad and horny.

Though they manage to get some time together it’s never enough until finally they area able to move back into their own room. Finally they relieve some of their tension, but they have an audience, their “friend” Tim, who figures out there were no women in the room when he heard the sex sounds. He shouts ugly things and outs them on campus, making both guys, but especially Tanner scared, nervous and angry at the reception they get. This makes them sad and horny.

Luckily there’s Wendy, Tanner’s friend and ex-lover who was sad and horny so she and Tanner almost hook up. This shakes Collin, along with the thing with Sean and Tim, so much that he decides to LEAVE Tanner. You guessed it. Sad. Horny.

But where does he go? Tanner’s mom? Strange choice? Maybe. But she’s always supported him and he doesn’t have anywhere to turn. She houses him, but of course rats him out to Tanner who in turn comes for him and tells him he’s an idiot. And they make up. Not sad. Still horny.

We end on a fairly HEA note… the future only defined a few months later, but the boys seem to be making their way in the world, together.

**

Though this may seem like I didn’t like the story, it’s not true. I mostly did. I love the chemistry between the boys and really like them as a couple. I did get tired of the drama and it seemed like there could have been more organic and emotionally satisfying hurdles for our boys to handle. (IE just being an actual couple, coming out bravely, dealing with the family itself without the extreme courtroom drama.) I was especially confused as to why Collin would think leaving made any sense and why Tanner’s mom was a good choice of refuge. Unless he wanted to be caught and was just show-boating… but that didn’t feel like the Collin we knew…

Anyhow, if you’ve read the first two you will want to read this last installment for closure if nothing else.

Karen is still an excellent writer and her smexy times are top-notch!

3.5 of 5 hearts

3.5

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Healing Hunter’s Heart (A Little Bite of Love Book 2) by Charlie Cochet

Dreamspinner Presents
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6246

HealingHuntersHeartBlurb

Months after being forced to leave his lover and mate Ari Jannsen behind, Hunter Devin settles into his role as Enforcer for the newly formed Deagan Clan under the rule of his new Alpha and best friend Tristan “Trip” Hagan. Along with Hunter’s brother Boone, their nephews, sister, and mother, Hunter finally has the family he’s always wanted, but without his little rebel Ari, his heart is incomplete.

The Hagan Clan is unable to accept the Deagan Clan’s betrayal for walking away and taking the clan’s pups with them. War looms. As both clans plan their attack, a greater enemy plots against them. But Hunter is determined to get his Ari back. Bonds are put to the test and unexpected alliances are made as Hunter and his clan set out to protect their own and end the spreading heartache.

Review

First – you MUST have read book one for this book to mean much to you.

We met Hunter and Ari in An Intrepid Trip To Love, the mates who couldn’t mate because of politics and were then separated by an evil mother and a clan war.

This book is about their back-story and their coming together.

**

Charlie Cochet has to be one of my favorite authors! She is so witty, so giddy and yet careful with her dialog. I adore her characters and find her creativity astonishing.

I was so glad to see that she didn’t keep Ari and Hunter apart for long in this book and was grateful for the back-story – it was sexy and hilarious at the same time.

The evil in this book is REALLY evil and I am looking forward to seeing more about this clan war and possibly another match with our wolf leader in the future.

PS I loved the Epilogue- Yay Trip and Boone!

5 of 5 hearts

5

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Night School Vampire by AJ Llewellyn and DJ Manly

Amberquill Presents
http://www.amberquill.com/store/p/1952-Night-School-Vampire.aspx

night school vampireBlurb

It’s tough being a vampire. For one thing, there’s so much time on your hands. And for another, being undead for centuries means that you meet way too many stupid people…

Socrates Delis, since he has to be awake at night, wonders why he shouldn’t make better use of his time. So to ease his loneliness and hopefully meet a more educated group of people, he enrolls in night school at UCLA’s extension courses and quickly finds that poetry isn’t the only thing on the agenda. Somebody is killing off young gay men around town, and students are nervous. And by the way, didn’t Socrates swear off love? So why’s he finding himself attracted to his hot, human teacher?

Devin Gold loves his work. The great poets are his favorites to share with his English lit students, and while teaching, his life often seems just about perfect. But holy heck, his crazy Uncle Vince just blew into town and has even invaded Devin’s night classes, disrupting his life. Uncle Vince and Devin’s mom think they’re vampire hunters. Devin knows there’s no such thing, and has lived with the shame of their insanity all his life. Now his uncle swears that LA, even night school, is swarming with fangers.

How can Devin keep his sudden attraction to his handsome new student, Socrates, a secret? He’s not sure, but he has to try, especially since his obsessive uncle will undoubtedly insist that Socrates is a vampire. It’s tough being a sane human in La La Land…

Review

Socrates is an old vampire living in LA. He wants to be as “mortal” as possible and has always enjoyed writing, so he decides to spend some of his time at night school learning how to be a better writer.

There he meets the delicious teacher, Devin, but also runs into the crazy Ivan – a vampire hunter out for his and his friend’s heads.

Turns out there is more to Devin than just a dreamy teacher, he has connections with Ivan and Devin that could make a lot of trouble for Socrates. But that doesn’t stop the pair from connecting…

**

This really wasn’t my cup of tea. I thought I’d like it at first – Socrates is a great character – funny, clueless, sincere, sexy… but Devin is too wishy-washy and I really felt uncomfortable with the sort of love triangle that gets formed between Devin, Socrates and the mutal “ex” Lucky.

I enjoyed the dark humor but found the romance lacking and the ending… not really a HEA, maybe a HFN…

Anyhow, I give it 2.5 of 5 hearts for the character building.

2.5

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The Rebuilding Year by Kaje Harper

Samhain Publishing Presents https://www.samhainpublishing.com/book/4117/the-rebuilding-year

the-rebuilding-yearBlurb

Losing nearly everything leaves room for the one thing they can’t live without.

A few excruciating minutes pinned in a burning building cost Ryan Ward his job as a firefighter, the easy camaraderie of his coworkers, his girlfriend, and damn near cost him his left leg. Giving up, though, isn’t an option. Compared to the alternative, choosing a new profession, going back to school, and renting a room from the college groundskeeper are simple.

Until he realizes he’s falling in love with his housemate, and things take a turn for the complicated.

John Barrett knows about loss. After moving twice to stay in touch with his kids, he could only watch as his ex-wife whisked them away to California. Offering Ryan a room seems better than rattling around the empty house, but as casual friendship moves to something more, and a firestorm of emotions ignites, the big old house feels like tight quarters.

It’s nothing they can’t learn to navigate, though. But when dead bodies start turning up on campus—and one of the guys is a suspect—their first taste of real love could go up in smoke.

Product Warnings
Contains two hot men wrestling with a shift in their sexuality, as well as a few positions probably listed in the Gay Kama Sutra. But it’s not all about the hot and sweaty—especially when your previously straight life knocks on the door and comes back to visit.

Review

Ryan is a med student, former fireman who was injured in the line of duty, looking for a cheap place to stay while studying. He meets John on campus where John does the maintenance for the university. John is recently divorced father of two who is looking for a friend and someone to share expenses.

John and Ryan quickly become great friends and find themselves inexplicably attracted to one another as more than friends. Neither has identified as gay before but are suddenly seeing the other as very attractive.

There are a lot of hurdles. Neither is willing to jump into this without being sure of their feelings. Ryan has scars on his body that makes him leery of opening himself up to anyone. John’s wife and family aren’t going to see this as something to embrace. And – there’s a dead body found on campus and John is a suspect!

With a lot of careful movements forward and some deep discussion the couple explore their new feelings and in the end find a deep and abiding love.

**

This was one of the first mm books I ever read and I have re-read it dozens of times! I absolutely loved it. It’s a double GFY, both male “virgins” and they are so very sweet with each other! Kaje Harper is an amazing writer, she carefully crafts their relationship so that it is believable and romantic and yet full of realistic challenges and day to day hurdles.

I can’t recommend this book enough and I am ever so excited to read the sequel (finally!)!

6 of 5 hearts

amazing

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Christmas Kitsch by Amy Lane

Riptide Publishing Presents http://riptidepublishing.com/titles/christmas-kitsch

ChristmasKitsch_500x750Blurb

Sometimes the best thing you can get for Christmas is knowing what you really want.
Rusty Baker is a blond, rich, entitled football player in a high school full of them—just the type of oblivious jock all the bullied kids hate. And he might have stayed that way, except he develops a friendship with out-and-proud Oliver Campbell from the wrong side of the tracks. Rusty thinks the friendship is just pity—Oliver is very bright, and Rusty is very not—but then Oliver kisses him goodbye when Rusty leaves for college, and Rusty is forced to rethink everything he knows about himself.
But even Rusty’s newfound awareness can’t help him survive a semester at Berkeley. He returns home for Thanksgiving break clinging to the one thing he knows to be true: Oliver Campbell is the best thing that’s ever happened to him.
Rusty’s parents disagree, and Rusty finds himself homeless for the holidays. Oliver may not have much money, but he’s got something Rusty has never known: true family. With their help and Oliver’s love, Rusty comes to realize that he may have failed college, but he’ll pass real life with flying rainbow colors.

Review

Rusty is a good kid. He’s popular. Plays sports. Has girlfriends. Does what his parents tell him to. He’s not the “quickest” but he’s not stupid either.
Oliver is the “new brown kid”. He’s small. Snarky. Gay. And in need of a friend. Despite Rusty’s peer group’s objections, Rusty befriends Oliver and Oliver helps Rusty through his last year of high school.
When it comes time for Rusty to go to Berkley, where he just knows he’s going to fail, Oliver does all he can to assure him that he’ll be there for him and that he knows Rusty won’t get lost in the shuffle. And… he kisses Rusty.
Rusty is left at school, lost, scared, trapped with a crazy but warm-hearted-hyper-sexual-roommate, and the memory of Oliver’s kiss to make him question everything he is or wants to be.
When it becomes apparent that Rusty is in fact NOT ready for Berkley – though he tries damn hard – he is ready for Oliver and KNOWS that Oliver is more than just his best friend. When Rusty gets home for Thanksgiving Oliver is there to greet him and the two kiss again. This time they get caught by Rusty’s homophobic family who immediately throw Rusty out of the house.
Luckily Oliver’s dad is amazing and he helps Rusty to get his bearings again.
What follows is Rusty’s jump into the deep end of adulthood and his navigation of his first real relationship that also happens to be his first gay relationship. Oliver’s impatience and love both help and hinder him in this process, but the underlying support he and his dad offer Rusty give him the strength to grow into the man he needs to become.
**

This is another of my all-time favorite Amy Lane books. Another one I’m hoping will soon become an Audiobook. (Hint, hint!)
Rusty is so very lost but he’s also so sweet and lovable you want to reach through the pages and wrap him in blankets and kiss his cheeks.
Oliver is just smart and snarky enough to ease the saccharine sweetness of Rusty’s goodness and make them a real, fun, and sexy couple.
I loved the interactions with the secondary characters. The role model of Oliver’s dad. The hilarity of the cousins. The hero-worship of Rusty’s sister. And the eventual grace of Rusty’s parents.
I read this book when I need a warm hug on a rainy afternoon and it always makes me feel better.

I can’t recommend it enough.

6 of 5 hearts

amazing

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Sultry Sunset (Mangrove Book 3) by Mary Calmes

Dreamspinner Presents http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6387

SultrySunsetBlurb

Hutch Crowley is well-liked in the small resort town of Mangrove—he’s got friends in his new neighbors, he’s the owner of the town grocery, and he’s building a community center—but he’s still unlucky at love. Every man he’s attracted to is either taken or simply not interested, including his best friend, Mike Rojas.

When Mike came to Mangrove two years ago, Hutch gave him a job and a place to stay in his guesthouse, where Mike has remained ever since. Despite the rumors circulating about them, Hutch knows Mike is straight and looking for the right woman. But his friends disagree, and after some hints to the contrary, even Hutch finally has to admit that maybe the rest of the town sees something he’s been missing. If Hutch wants to spend each sultry sunset with the man of his dreams, it might be time to figure out what’s going on with his best friend’s heart.

Review

If you’ve been reading the series (which you should, but don’t have to), you know Hutch is our grocer, and so far he’s been “interested” in every gay man the town has to offer, but has failed to find “the one”.

We find out that for the last two years he’s had a best friend, Mike “Don’t call me Michael”, living in his guest house and taking up most of his free time.

As you can predict, there is more to them than friendship, despite the fact that up til now Mike has always been straight.

**

I compare these Mangrove stories to cotton candy – one of my all time favorite foods – because they are wonderful, light, sweet and just a touch unsatisfying. Because they are so short, we don’t get a lot of lead-time to develop the tension between our MCs. Sure, Mary always gives us wonderful characters and an amazingly sweet love scene or two, but I really miss her ability to create that heat and draw out the sexual neediness between her characters that she’s just so great at.

I still love these stories, don’t get me wrong – but boy I wish they were longer.

In this case the secondary characters of Ivy and Essien almost – almost! – steal the show, but Mike and Hutch are terribly sweet together and I love them as a couple.

The mangrove series is fun because the small town and the recurrence of previous characters feels like coming home and I eagerly await the next installment.

4.5 of 5 hearts

4.5

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Job Hunt by Jackie Keswick

Dreamspinner Presents http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6372

JobHuntBlurb

You don’t greet your new boss dressed like an underage rent boy. But when Jack Horwood—ace hacker and ex-MI6 operative—opens the door to Gareth Flynn, he’s too busy to worry over details like that. And anyway, his potential new boss is his former Commanding Officer – the same guy Jack has had a crush on since he was seventeen. So he should understand, right?

When he applied for the job in Nancarrow Mining’s corporate security division, Jack had hoped for peaceful days repelling cyber attacks. Maybe a bit of corporate espionage on the side. His plans didn’t include rescuing abused children, hunting pimps, or dealing with his overly protective and hot-as-hell boss, Gareth Flynn.

Walking away is not an option. Jack never takes the easy way out. More than that, meeting Gareth raises old ghosts that Jack needs to put to rest. Rescuing kids. Taking risks. Saving the day. Jack can do all that – but deciding what to do about his attraction to Gareth isn’t the sort of cloak-and-dagger game Jack plays well. Yet Gareth, strong and smart and always on hand when needed, might be Jack’s salvation.

Review

Jack used to be under Gareth when they both served in the military. Jack got out of the military because he couldn’t hide his attraction to his officer any more. Now Gareth is out as well and went searching for and found Jack on the outside. Gareth wants Jack both as his work partner and hopefully more.

The couple quickly moves from heated attraction to attempts at consummation that get interrupted time and again.

The rest of the story is the spy/mystery stuff and I will tell you that I honestly skimmed it and wasn’t that interested in it.

I like romance and read romances. There is nothing wrong with this book – per se. But it is mostly a suspense/spy/thriller with some romantic elements thrown in. Not my cup of tea.

I thought having their sex interrupted time and again was frustrating and unnecessary – the sexual tension had been eased early on in the story and it was only “penetrative sex” that they lacked at this point. There wasn’t a lot of emotional attachment gained when they do finally get around to “doing it” and I was disappointed.

Jack tells Gareth he loves him early on in the story and then emotions and feelings are never really discussed again.

Again, this is great if you are in the mood for a spy novel – it’s like a gay James Bond! – but that wasn’t what I was looking for when I read the blurb.

The writing was excellent and the characters interesting. If you are looking for a spy novel – pick this one! If you are looking for romance – keep looking.

Overall 2.75 of 5 hearts

3

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Would I Lie to You by Brad vance Tour with Excerpt, Giveaway

SMLieCover 2

Excerpt:
He’d made a mistake with Marc. He’d thought they could play a game together, to pass the time, let off steam, release stress. Marc was smart enough to know that that’s all it was.
Right?
But the look on his face, when Jesse said goodbye… The shock. The disappointment. The…
Say it. The hurt. That was when Jesse knew that for Marc, it had been more.
That was when Jesse knew that it had been more for him, too.
Sales Links: (Amazon exclusive) http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WNMVKZC

RC2

 

About the author:
Brad Vance writes gay romance, erotica and paranormal stories and novels, including the breakout hits “A Little Too Broken” and “Have a Little Faith in Me.”
Where to find the author:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/brad.vance.10
Facebook Author Page: http://www.bradvanceerotica.wordpress.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/BradVanceAuthor
Google: https://plus.google.com/u/1/+BradVance/about

 

&nbspa Rafflecopter giveaway

 

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No Place Left to Run by Zarah Detand

Dreamspinner Presents
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6186

NoPlaceLefttoRunBlurb

After a lengthy world tour, pop star Samuel Gibbs is looking forward to a nice, quiet break—sleep in, write a bit of music, do his own cooking for a change. He doesn’t want his time spoiled by the constant presence of bodyguards, and he is certainly not willing to have someone tail him each time he so much as goes to the shops. No way, no how. It’s a good thing, then, that his head of security relents on the matter—or so he leads Samuel to believe.

The break is starting to look even better when Samuel runs into his new neighbor. Ryan Halston is smart and hot and, quite possibly, everything Samuel wants. However, he doesn’t know that Ryan is part of the rejected security detail, tasked with protecting him from the dangerous attentions of an unknown stalker.

Review

Samuel meets Ryan and hits on him. Ryan tries to do the right thing and keep his distance (both because he wants to be professional and also because he doesn’t “do” relationships). Eventually Ryan caves in and they begin an affair. When Sam finds out he’s mad and then he makes Ryan work REALLY hard and then he finally forgives him.

I thought this was an ok book. I was never really captivated by any of it. I didn’t really bond well with Samuel, though I loved Ryan. I thought the way Samuel put Ryan through the ringer was a little unbalanced by the mediocre HEA.

It wasn’t a bad book, the writing was nice and the characters were pretty well developed, but the emotional connection wasn’t there for me.

3.5 of 5 hearts

3.5

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