Category: Mature

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Ex Meridian (Nothing Special VII) A.E. Via

?Reviewed by The KimiChan Experience?

TITLE:  Ex Meridian 

SERIES:  Nothing Special VII

AUTHOR: A.E. Via

PUBLISHER: Via Star Wings Books

LENGTH: 237 pages

RELEASE DATE:  February 26, 2020

BLURB: Police Lieutenants, God and Day are under intense pressure from the chief to take back control of Atlanta’s 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 machine—now imagine two of them. 

Code names Ex and Meridian are synonymous for ‘guaranteed death’ 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 efficiently—lethally—together. 

When Ex returns from an op in Bolivia to learn his little brother has been accidentally killed in a feud between drug gangs, he’s stateside before he can consider the rules he’ll be breaking, and of course Meridian is right beside him. There’s mayhem on the streets of Atlanta and the police are losing control. If Godfrey and his elite team of detectives can’t get the job done then they’d be happy to lighten their caseloads for them. And Ex nor Meridian care about doing it quietly. 

“I know who you are.” The man grunted when Ex turned to leave. “You’re the fucking devil.”

Meridian walked past, glaring one final time. “Say that loud enough… maybe God will save you.”

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 they’ve been forced to suppress for years. 

Meridian’s dark eyes stayed locked on his, “A man who can fight beside the one he loves doesn’t make him weaker, Ex—it makes him more dangerous.”

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 Ex’s baby brother.

The characters from the previous books in the series and their spinoffs make brief appearances throughout the book. God and Day’s 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 Ex’s  overwhelming sorrow over his brother’s 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 there’s a backstory that belongs to them only. Yet, you don’t feel disoriented or like there’s something missing in the author not giving the reader their full history’s. 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. 

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 author’s work is brilliant, her characters’ 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 writer’s 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. 

RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

BUY LINKS:

Amazon

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Bishop (A True Lover’s Story) A.E. Via

?Reviewed by The KimiChan Experience?

 

TITLE: Bishop

SERIES: N/A

AUTHOR: A.E. Via

PUBLISHER: Via Star Wings Publishing

RELEASEDATE: September 30, 2019

BLURB: At only thirty-two, Bishop Stockley has lived a hard-knock life. His gang was his family, the streets his home. Until the crew he’d always called his brothers betrayed him. After doing five years in a federal prison, Bishop is back at his dad’s trailer and working for his landscaping company, thrust into a legit world where he’s no longer the alpha—a world where a criminal record is the least of his disadvantages, because Bishop can’t read or write. Illiteracy had never been an obstacle for him on the streets, he didn’t need to know how to read Moby Dick to survive, he needed to know how to read people… and that was a hustle he’d learned hard and fast. Now, he had to change his life.

 

Bishop’s only support system was a young, inexperienced dad who’d insisted he call him Mike all their life—since they looked more like brothers than father and son. And his hot-tempered, childhood, best friend from ’juvie, Trent. Bishop already had the deck stacked against him, but he wasn’t afraid of hard work to change his situation, and he did want to change. Especially after he encountered Edison Scala, a kind-spirited office manager who didn’t hesitate to come to his defense… a man that saw past Bishop’s grass-stained coveralls. A man who wasn’t intimidated by his stern features and his silence.

 

Edison hadn’t grown up the way most of his peers had. He’d been raised by a single father who’d owned an old-fashioned barber shop where Edison was taught how to not only shave with a straight razor, and shine shoes, but also how to treat others, to not judge, to be a gentleman, to be respectful and speak without profanity. But, the biggest lesson he’d learned, was to always be himself. His lack of friends and a social life wasn’t his fault. No matter how much weight he gained, no matter how many times his staff called him a square, Edison did not need to change.

 

Bishop knew Edison was off-limits. He’d made personal vows to himself when he was released from prison, ones that he never intended to break. But, when Edison asked him about providing landscaping services at his home, there was no way he could refuse. He hadn’t expected Edison to feed him, praise him, encourage him, and look at him the way he did—as if Bishop was somebody. Mike and Trent warned him not to mix business with pleasure and he didn’t intend to.

 

No multiple pairings. No cliffhangers. Ends with a very, very HFN. Warning:

This book is a M/M contemporary romance, a hardened man’s struggle to find real love. There are no police chases or doors being kicked in, in this one. But, don’t worry. Bishop is still intense enough to keep you on the edge. 

REVIEW: Okay, y’all. Can I tell you how much I loved this book, these characters? Miss Via has done what she always does and spin a story that will make you care for her characters as you’re reading them. Bishop and Edison are two strong men from different backgrounds, yet they seem to find common ground even though they have nothing in common.

Even though Bishop was the main character, it was Edison who spoke to me the most. But I’ll speak on that in a bit.

I particularly loved how the author approached the topic of Bishop’s illiteracy. It was handled with kindness and understanding. The author wrote it in a way that didn’t belittle him. Bishop is a flawed hero. A man who like many of us, have made mistakes, faced the consequences of said mistakes and is looking for a little redemption and forgiveness for it. He wants to live his life—not necessarily a BEST life— but just go along the familiar lines and on the right path of it. He wants to do better and fought hard to BE better. He’s not asking for or expecting the moon and stars, he’s just asking for normalcy and stability with a man who sees him as something other than what he was. 

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 didn’t 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 he’s someone whose weak. But I didn’t 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.  I adored his character and I adored him and Bishop together. Bishop’s gentle toughness combined with Edison’s sweet old world charm is what makes them perfect for each other. Edison’s character was actually like being reunited with my friend.  It was amazing.

This author is a master of her craft. Her writing style is absolutely superb. Miss Via’s work is always top notch, regardless of whatever genre she chooses to write. Her characters are ALWAYS vivid, complex and multifaceted. Her dialogues are ALWAYS beautifully written and her storylines are simply perfect. This book flows smoothly. She doesn’t simply tell a story, she’s giving you a front row seat of their thoughts and heart. 

This book doesn’t have a traditional HEA and that’s okay because life doesn’t always work that way. You just know that these men’s life Journey is just getting started so the HFN ending fits perfectly. This story is memorable and the characters and their experiences will linger long after you’ve finished reading this book.

This author and this book is a serious must read. Take a bow, Miss Via. You’ve done an amazing job yet again.

RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

 

BUY LINKS:

Amazon

 

 

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Sinister Hunger by Katze Snow

Vincent Hudson is a vampire hunter and his life is about to be ruined.

When a hunting trip ends in tragedy, he is forced to do the unthinkable—seek refuge in Sanctuary Hope, where each family must nominate a member to the city council. It is seemingly a minor price to pay in exchange for medical aid and refuge. But it is a dangerous trap, and unaware of the gut-wrenching reality, Vincent nominates himself.

Now a life of war awaits him. . . and captivity to a vampire master known as Maddox Caine.

This trilogy is for mature audiences only (18+) and contains scenes of graphic violence and high heat that will have you flustered and swiftly turning the pages. These books are dark, raw, gritty, and not for the faint-hearted. Please read with caution.

 

If you loved Dark Silence, you will adore this. It’s not a simple re-release with a new title and a new gorgeous cover (Jay Aheer’s art, is as always, stunning), but a complete re-write. All of the basic premises of the original release are here, but it is a new book with more scenes added. The writing  was good to begin with, but with experience comes maturation and Katze’s writing in this has definitely done so. It’s grittier, with some scenes that made even me catch my breath and sent delicious chills down my arms.

I can’t wait to read book 2 and will be reviewing it here, so watch this space!

4.5

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Blaze (Unbreakable Bonds) by Jocelynn Drake, Rinda Elliot

?Reviewed by The KimiChan Experience?

TITLE: Blaze

SERIES: Unbreakable Bonds

AUTHOR: Jocelynn Drake, Rinda Elliot

PUBLISHER: Self Published

RELEASE DATE:  June 22, 2018

BLURB: The rings have been selected. The champagne placed on ice. The cake decorated.

And the pre-wedding sex is off the charts…

Lucas Vallois and Andrei Hadeon are finally ready to walk down the aisle. There’s just one small problem.

A ghost from Lucas’s past shows up days before the wedding, desperate for help. Against his better judgement, Lucas and his best friend, Ashton Frost, plan a fast trip back to the one place they swore they’d never go: their hometown in Oklahoma. But the danger is worse than they expected.

Now, they’re in a race to track down a killer, keep a young girl safe, and get Lucas back in time to say, “I do.”

REVIEW: WOW! What else can I say? When I heard that book 5 was about Lucas and Andrei’s wedding I couldn’t wait to read it. I knew that meant all the guys would be together again and wherever they were, trouble would not be far behind. Well that was an understatement. Lol! I enjoyed this book so much I didn’t want it to end. It easily earned a 5star rating from me. Lucas and Andrei’s love for each other is just as fierce and hot as it was when they first met and we see that from the beginning of this book, (lol) all the way to the end. We get my control freak Lucas with the arrogance of a billionaire, Ashton Snow Frost and his wicked sense of humor, sweet Ian (who’s high on wedding fumes). I died laughing at that comment, and Rowe with his devil may care attitude “the embodiment of chaos”. I want a Rowe in my life!

We get to know more about Lucas and Snow’s past. The unbearable childhood they each had to endure that later forged their friendship and brotherhood. We meet some of Lucas’ family members like Nicole and Taylor along with his despicable parents. My heart broke for the anguish so much intolerance had caused. We also meet some new members of Ward security Seth and Cole. We were briefly introduced to a friend of Taylor’s, by the name of Bran with pink hair. I can’t wait to get his story as I’m sure there is one.

Finally, you will love this page turner. It will have you crying at times and laughing out loud at others. The action ad suspense will have you on the edge of your seat and the sex will make you blush.

RATING: ✨✨✨✨✨

BUY LINKS:

Amazon

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Closer by F.E. Feeley, Jr.

?Reviewed by Kiwi?

TITLE: Closer

AUTHOR: F.E. Feeley, Jr.

PUBLISHER: Beaten Track

RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2018

BLURB: Maplewood, Vermont is a picturesque town filled with unique shops, unique homes, and a quaint familiarity all centered around a lake with an unusual history.

Legends, old as well as Urban, float around like the mist that hovers above the lake at break of dawn.

But they’re just stories, right?

Hayden Moore’s life was destroyed when his husband, Malcolm, was murdered. Giving up his job as an assistant district attorney in Boston, Hayden moved to the little burg of Maplewood to recover.

A new life.

A fresh start.

However, something underneath the water is stirring. Something rotten. A deadly secret wakes underneath the black waters of Lake Veronica so disturbing it haunts the nightmares of the local residents.

It’s coming closer…

REVIEW: Freddy Feeley has excellent stories to tell. And he tells them with perfection. This book is a full course meal. With almost 400 pages of an excellent storyline, character development and superb editing; this book is really something.

With the hopes that a change in scenery would help him in his grieving process after his husband’s murder, Hayden settles within a beautiful small town in Vermont. On the surface, it’s picturesque, Norman Rockwell painting perfect but under the beautiful veneer lies a dark and disturbing secret.

Hayden purchases a home and hires the town contractor and former soldier Tommy Law to renovate it. Although Tommy’s a loner, he finds himself surprisingly drawn to Hayden. Hayden’s pain and grief positively leaps off the pages at you. You feel every single bit of it and Tommy’s loneliness. It’s a damn good author whose able write a story and stir an emotional response within the readers.

What’s also interesting about this story is that the author didn’t just make the MC’s the main focus of the book. His peripheral characters also had their own vibrant personalities that were also made a part of the story. Their characters were extremely well written. He did a fantastic job of allowing those characters to shine while simultaneously maintaining focus on the MCs and the storyline.

This author is one of those authors that everyone tends to ‘sleep’ on. Meaning, he’s not part of the ‘in’ crown and as such, his work is often overlooked which is crazy. He has a writing style that is complex, cerebral and his writing style is crisp. The way he weaves a story is absolutely amazing.

You had so many wonderful ingredients to this book: grief, pain, love and loss, mystery, suspense, with a big dash of horror thrown in.

I truly enjoyed this book and definitely recommend this book and this author. Don’t sleep on this author, y’all. He churns out the most amazing stories.

RATING: ?????

BUY LINKS:

Amazon

Beaten Track Publishing 

 

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Promises 3 (Bounty Hunters) A.E. Via

??Reviewed by Kiwi??

 

TITLE: Promises 3

SERIES: Bounty Hunters

AUTHOR: A.E. Via

PUBLISHER: Via Star Wings

RELEASE DATE: July 1, 2017

 

BLURB: A bounty hunter’s partners to lovers’ story. The hunt is on… and he’s the prey.

Bradford (Ford) King was sure he had the rest of his life mapped out. Though he was no longer a SEAL Lieutenant, his brother was home safe and he had a job that still allowed him to satisfy his hunger for hunting bad guys. Life was simple, no distractions or complications – at age forty-six – that’s all Ford wanted. What he didn’t want was his work partner, sniper/watchman, Dana, giving him s**t all the time.

Dana Cadby had grown up labeled a roughneck from the wrong side of the tracks. He’d fought, scrounged, and survived despite a father that constantly told him he couldn’t. Dana pulled himself up by his own boot straps and made a name for himself in the marksman community. He’d been Duke’s bounty watchman for five years. It was his job to ensure their safety, watch their backs. At thirty-three, he was trusted, well respected by his peers, his bosses, his friends… so why couldn’t he earn the same respect from his partner?

Dana knew he was bisexual before he graduated high school. He also knew he was attracted to the huge, 6’3”, SEAL from the moment he and his brother came to join their team. It wasn’t easy for him to tamp down his immediate reaction to Ford’s thick muscles, full beard, and dark eyes. Still, Dana exhibited nothing but professionalism towards him, not wanting to make his ‘straight’ partner uncomfortable. So why did Ford constantly give him hell?

After Dana took back his ex-girlfriend, he’d noticed an intensification in Ford’s bad attitude. One that turned aggressive and downright antagonistic, and Dana was damned if he’d just lay down and take it. He was gonna make that man respect him if it was the last thing he did.

When Duke sends Dana and Ford out to track down their most dangerous bounty yet, they both embrace the fact that they make one hell of a team… but they fight tooth and nail against the powerful intimacy brewing between them.
Beware: If Ford and Dana connect completely, god help the fugitive who’s in the sights of the hunter and his watchman.

This story is a part of a series but can stand alone. It does not end on a cliffhanger and has a HEA.

 

REVIEW: This is the third book in this fantastic series by this author. And when I tell you that it’s amazing, I mean it. This book continues with Dana and Ford’s story. This story, as with all this author’s work was such a pleasure to read. It was also a pleasant surprise because I wasn’t expecting this pairing.

Dana is the youngest on the team and in my opinion, the most vulnerable, emotionally speaking of course. I loved Dana’s character. His personality was an interesting juxtaposition of vulnerability and strength. He was shy yet…not. He was confident yet insecure.

Ford was a gruff and tough former Navy Seal. He’s loyal and fiercely protective of his younger brother. He’s also stubborn. Well, both men are stubborn. So much so that I wanted to reach in and Gibbs smack both of them at the backs of their heads to knock some sense into both of them. I especially wanted to snap Dana’s girlfriend like a twig. The ole bony, salad eating wench that she was.

You know a book is good when the characters make you yell at your reading device. I was yelling at, smacking and positively howling at my iPad, these characters are just that vivid.

I love her writing style. You’re not going to get any pretty lavender words or flowery dialogue from the men in her books. I also love the fact that her characters are men of a particular age and everyday working men. What I also appreciate is the fact that she’s not afraid to use the word bisexual. These men are BISEXUAL. Not ‘gay for you’, ‘out for you’ or any of the other tropes that  erases the bisexual identity. 

I can’t express how excellent this book is. I equate reading this author’s work to mama cooking in the kitchen and when she’s finished, you end up with the most delicious meal. Yes, she has truly put her foot in the pot with this book.

This book, heck, this series is definitely highly recommended.

 

RATING: ??AMAZING??

 

BUY LINKS:

Amazon (Promises 3) 

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Perfect Alignment (Thorne and Dash # 3) by Sylvia Violet

✨✨Reviewed by Kiwi✨✨

TITLE: Perfect Alignment

SERIES: Thorne and Dash #3

AUTHOR: Silvia Violet

PUBLISHER: Silvia Violet Publishing

LENGTH: 242 pages

RELEASE DATE: November 15, 2016

BLURB: Thorne proposed to Riley. Riley accepted.

Thorne thought that was that. They’d take a nice trip, get married, and spend a week luxuriating in a five-star hotel with occasional excursions to fabulous restaurants.

Riley imagined a traditional wedding with all the trappings. With all their friends and family. At Christmas.

Thorne concedes reluctantly, and a flurry of wedding planning ensues. At the same time, Thorne is wrestling with a recalcitrant client, and Riley and his business partner, Susan, are consumed with renovations and planning for the opening of their bakery. Stress on top of stress makes both Riley and Thorne doubt their relationship, and a major misunderstanding nearly silences the wedding bells.

By the time they reach their happily ever after, they’re both going to deserve all the romance they’ve been dreaming of.

REVIEW: This is the third installment in the Thorne and Dash series. In this story, the two become engaged. The proposal and engagement was cut and dry: Thorne proposed and Riley accepted. It’s the actual wedding planning that becomes a major issue. Both men have different ideas on their dream wedding. Thorne wanted something simple with little fanfare with just their loved ones in attendance with a long relaxing honeymoon whereas Riley wanted a traditional wedding, complete with all the pomp and circumstance. Stress from work and lack of communication causes the two men to crack. Reading this story gave me unpleasant flashbacks of my own experiences planning a wedding. It were those memories that had me wanting to Gibbs smack Riley at he back of his head. I thought that Thorne’s idea of a simple ceremony with a very nice reception then off to a luxurious honeymoon was a great idea and much more practical considering the date. There was too much outside stress these men had to deal with in terms of work and to with the added stress of planning a wedding scheduled for Christmas was a logistical nightmare. Reading that stressed ME out.

I absolutely love this author’s work and reading this made me want to strangle both men but the ending was so very sweet. I love how this author portrays her characters. These men aren’t perfect but they’re perfect for each other and with love, patience and hard work, they always find their happiness.

I would definitely recommend this series.

Please note that this is a series and even though it may be read as a standalone, I definitely suggest you read them in sequential order so you can get a better grasp of the characters.

**This book is also available in audiobook format.***

RATING: 4.5 stars

BUY LINKS:
Amazon

 
Audiobook Format

 

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Nothing Special 5 (Nothing Special) A.E. Via

Reviewed by Kiwi

TITLE: Nothing Special 5

SERIES: Nothing Special

AUTHOR: A.E. Via

COVER ARTIST: Jay Aheer

PUBLISHER: Via Star Wings

RELEASE DATE: December 12, 2016

BLURB: The boys are back and fiercer than ever!

“We were a unit tonight, moving as one. Even apart, we are deadly, but when combined – we are f**kin’ unstoppable.” ~~ God ~~

Atlanta’s notorious narcotics task force is at it again. They are stronger, bigger, and better than ever. Especially when a city councilman sends RECON Marine, Edwin Steele – who’s been blacklisted from his Oakland department – to join the team. God and Day weren’t recruiting. They have a lot on their plates, like the fact they’re supposed to be getting married soon. They don’t have the time or the patience to integrate a decorated war hero with a slight chip on his shoulder into their well-oiled machine.

A hothead that’s uncontrollable and terrible with authority… but wasn’t that their team motto?

Steele was ready to hang up his shield. He was done fighting with bigoted bastards that couldn’t respect the job. He was good at fighting; he just needed the right team to fight with. When his uncle – City Councilman, Rasmus Steele – shows him a video of God’s team in action, he knows right away, it’s where his nephew belongs in order to restore his faith.

Steele pointed to the driver, a behemoth of a man wielding those massive firearms like a true beast… like a soldier. “And him. Who the hell is he?”

“That’s your new boss. Lieutenant Cashel Godfrey… they call him… God.”

Steele was skeptical about his new placement, but when he meets God’s technology specialist/computer genius, “Tech,” he’s willing to give it his all, and he definitely shows and proves.

Tech is stunning. His sweater vest and khakis, a stark contrast to the blue-jeaned roughnecks he works with. A beautiful sheep amongst the wolves. Steel thinks there’s no way the brilliant man would be interested in a hardhead like him, but Tech has a few badass hidden talents of his own and manages to surprise him… surprise all of them.

This story is a part of a series but can stand alone. It does not end on a cliffhanger and has a HEA. There are no multiple pairings in this novel.

EXCERPT:

Steele’s hands ran up the length of his triceps and around his arms. Tech tried not to shiver at the light touches. Thoughts of what Steele could do with those hands that were now on his body were causing a lot of feelings that’d been dead for a long time to spark back to life. Steele kept his fingers on his forearms and ran his thumbs down the insides until he reached his pulse. Steele pressed both thumbs there and Tech felt his knees weaken. “Your pulse is erratic.”
Of course, it is.
“You may not be afraid… but are you comfortable?”
Was he comfortable? That wasn’t something he could answer. Now, if Steele asked was he confused in his company… fuck yes. However, he was also pissed at himself that he’d admitted to this FORECON Marine that typing made his wrists hurt sometimes. He didn’t want Steele to treat him like a baby. “I’m not scared,” Tech growled.
Steele dropped his arms and caught him around his waist, spinning Tech fast enough to make him dizzy. His breath caught in his throat when he stopped only a couple inches from Steele’s face, having to slightly tilt his head up to look into those penetrating gray eyes. “You keep saying that. But your body is telling me different,” Steele hissed.
Tech didn’t dart his eyes away. He didn’t want Steele thinking he was insecure. Instead, he held those blown pupils and majestic irises with his own interested gaze. Inching in closer, Tech fought down his tension and gently placed both hands on Steele’s tight stomach. Maintaining eye contact, he slowly moved them up Steele’s chest, gliding over the defined pecs. Steele’s nostrils flared but he didn’t stop Tech when he gripped his collar and pulled him down closer to his mouth. Just before their lips could touch, Tech inched over and whispered in Steele’s ear. “I can’t control the way my body trembles when you’re near me, but trust me when I tell you… it’s not fear, Ghost.”
Tech used Steele’s classified identity, hoping it didn’t backfire like hell. But the way Steele’s hands tightened on his waist, he didn’t think it had. He’d taken the gamble, hoping it’d pay off. He was confessing to Steele what he’d learned from those documents, information revealing what the lieutenant colonel had to do – had to become – to keep himself and his men safe. Yet Tech was still standing there in the man’s arms, his cock as hard as a missile, flirting with danger… hoping he’d flirt back.

 

REVIEW: This is book 5 in the Nothing Special series and it is just an amazing read. Every book that this author has written has been nothing short of excellent. As always the case with her work, you’re awaiting her releases and when it happens, you find that it was well worth the wait. Nothing changes with this book. I don’t know what I love the most about her work; the reasons for me are many. Her characters are vividly portrayed in each of her books. The technical aspects of her work are always perfectly executed: the plots, storyline and dialogues; everything is an exercise in excellence. Her covers are always beautiful and with her series, neat and uniform which satisfies my OCD tendencies.

In this story, she introduces a new character (Steele) while staying true and showcasing the older characters. And the way she brought in Preston, Ric and Blair, the characters from You Can See Me, the prequel to the Nothing Special series was absolutely brilliant.

I loved Tech and Steele together. The chemistry between these two characters was palpable. Tech’s character was this wonderful mixture of sexy geek genius, shy guy and tough detective, innocent yet sexy temptation.

Steele is a rough and tumble former Marine and detective who ran to the ATL from another city after a friend and former partner was killed. Angry at the betrayal of his former department, Steele decided to leave law enforcement. His uncle refuses to let him give up on a career that he’s made for. He comes up with an alternative and moves him to God and Day’s unit. It’s there he meets Tech and sparks immediately fly between the two men.

These men find their footing after a couple of rough starts. The relationship they develop is a beautiful one filled with sweet heat. This relationship is the focus but what goes on between the other characters is equally engaging. The author does an amazing job of having numerous storylines going on simultaneously. There were no defined MCs in this story but that is perfectly okay as each side told was brilliantly done. There were multiple POV shifts but this too, was expertly executed. There is not confusion as to whose POV you are in at any time; the shifts are just that seamless. This author does an amazing job of maintaining her characters: she incorporates the past characters and introduces a new one.

I can’t say enough about how well this book is written and how much I enjoyed reading it! This author is truly a master of her craft.
 RATING: ??Amazing?? 

 

AUTHOR BIO:

A.E. Via is an author in the beautiful gay romance genre and also founder and owner of Via Star Wings Books. Her writing embodies everything from hopelessly romantic to adventure, to scandalous. Her stories often include intriguing edges and twists that take readers to new, thought-provoking depths.
When she’s not clicking away at her laptop, she devotes herself to her family—a husband and four children. Adrienne Via has tons of more stories to tell, but she really would like to hear yours. Via Star Wings Books is currently accepting submissions for established and aspiring LGBTQ authors.
Visit my site to learn more! Go to A.E. Via’s official website http://authoraevia.com for more detailed information on how to contact her, follow her, or a sneak peak on upcoming work, free reads, VSWB submissions, and where she’ll appear next

Links

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Author Official Website: http://authoraevia.com

A.E. Blog: http://authoraevia.com/blogfann.html

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The Secrets In My Scowl by A.E. Via

Reviewed by Kiwi

TITLE: The Secrets in My Scowl

SERIES:

AUTHOR: A.E. Via

PUBLISHER: Via Star Wings Books

RELEASE DATE: October 28 , 2016

BLURB: Sparks ignite and tempers flare when a sexy, optimistic wedding planner, moves his business in across the hall from a jilted, divorce lawyer’s practice.

“Look smart ass. This is the last time I’m going to remind you about breaking sections of the lease. If there’s a next time, I won’t stop until you and your frilly, white wedding shit is thrown out of here. Do you got it?!”

Wylde looked in Jacob’s pained eyes and answered in his deep voice. “Yeah, counselor. I got it.”

From high school, up until he became a successful attorney Jacob Snowden was convinced that love had it out for him. “Everyone left,” were the words he lived by. His mother, his high school sweetheart, his father, and his fiancé, all left Jacob just when he felt it was safe to let down his guard. Not any longer. Jacob was a determined man, set at keeping people at a distance. If his six foot one, military-made body didn’t scare people off, his permanent scowl surely did. At almost forty, Jacob’s social life was non-existent, but he told himself his work fulfilled him. He helped people get out of their loveless marriages. Jacob Snowden was one of the best divorce lawyers on the east coast and was damn proud of it. So, imagine his disdain when a wedding planner moves into the suite directly adjacent to his… an insanely masculine, male wedding planner.

Wylde Sterling had made quite a name for himself in his hometown of Roanoke, Virginia, working for a wedding planner that catered to the elite. He was known for his charm and impeccable taste. Yep, he was incredible at giving couples the wedding of their dreams. But he wanted nothing more than to plan his own. After striking out in love more times than he cared to admit, Wylde decided to start his own business in a new city, hoping Richmond would give him a fresh start. Things started out wonderfully – until he started to piss off the angry divorce attorney next door.

Wylde could see past Jacob’s mean scowl, knowing there was a reason for it. It was the man’s defense mechanism, his means of keeping people away. Everything in Wylde told him to stay away, but he believed Jacob just needed to meet a man who had been hurt as badly as he had.

Standalone gay romance that ends in an HEA and no cliffhanger.

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REVIEW: I loved everything about this book and these characters. As usual, this author manages to tell an amazing story that captures and captivates you cover to cover, from the first word written to the last.

Jacob’s character was interesting. I was fascinated to read how good his childhood and family life was up until the point where his mother abandoned the family. There is this drastic shift for the worse in his life for both him and his father. Theirs was a story that made me the saddest.

The events of his childhood shaped every decision he’s made in his adult life. It’s made him harden his shell but underneath that shell was a man who had been deeply hurt and betrayed in life. All anyone ever saw was the shell he presented; many not interested in or afraid to see past his angry shell.

Wylde’s character was quite interesting: here you have this beautifully masculine man in a career where many would expect the stereotypical flamboyant gay man to have. In this book, as in all of her others, she flips the script and made it completely the opposite. That’s what I like about this author. She has this wonderful talent for writing her gay male characters as just regular guys which is exactly what they are; her characters are relatable. I know that when I pick up her work it will be sans the troubling stereotypes that seems to be the trend in many of the books in this genre. And as always, her characters are mature men, men in their mid to late 30s and older so the reader can further relate to the characters.

This book, like her others, was extremely written. This is an author that has really mastered her craft; her work is of the highest quality.

The only holes that I found in the book was the fact that Jacob was referred at one point in the book as a soldier instead of sailor. Another small issue was the timeline. I don’t know about the timeline but I am going to assume that it was a bit before the repeal of DADT so it wasn’t really made clear how Jacob was able to propose or how he was going to pull off and get away with marrying another man. Another issue I had is the circumstances behind the mother’s abandonment of her family. The only thing that made the reasoning not feel real was the length of time. The time threw it all off for me. That situation should’ve been, I felt, resolved within five years or less. Realistically it probably would’ve been because here it is almost two decades later that she still in the picture which begs the question as to why she left in the first place if it took almost two decades to resolve itself. Either that or there could’ve been another reason as to why she left. The reason for her leaving and the time it took for the situation to progress to the stage that it did didn’t make sense.  It just would’ve been more believable had things progressed much faster for her than it did and he found out on the back end.

Although noticeable, the above stated did in no way deflect from the overall enjoyment I experienced reading this story.

This heartbreak written within this book will have you on the edge of tears and just when you think you’re going to cry your eyes over how much hurt Jacob is experiencing, a scene is written in that will have you laughing yourself into stitches.

I absolutely adore this book and I highly recommend it.

RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️Amazing⭐️⭐️⭐️

BUY LINKS:

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Author A.E. Via
“Only Thing Sexier than One Man, Is Two of Them Together”
Author Official Website:


Via Star Wings Books Publishing: http://authoraevia.com/starwing.html

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/A.-E.-Via/e/B00GMNMS4U
A.E. Blog: http://authoraevia.com/blogfann.html

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/aeviaauthor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authoraevia

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorAEViahttps://kimichanexperience.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/image2.jpg