When tiger shifter Cade turns an oily owner of a consultation firm over to the FBI, he finds himself with a hit man on his heels. Chester was in possession of security-breaching national secrets, and even more concerning, evidence that shifters exist, and if it got out, trouble would follow for all shifters. So now Cade is on the run. He holes up in an isolated hideout where he doesn’t expect anyone to find him–least of all a former one-night stand.
Alpha lion shifter Micah can’t shake Cade from his mind. They spent one glorious night together before Cade ran off without leaving even a name. He’s determined to find his runaway and protect what he’s come to think as his despite Cade’s one and done rule. He surprises Cade in his secret nest in the forest, learns the reason for Cade’s self-imposed exile, and decides to call for help. This nets them Stone: a top-of-the-line bodyguard and the one man Micah can’t stand. Stone isn’t thrilled either. He can think of better things to do than spend days in the wilderness with the uppity alpha who stomps on his last nerve.
Despite their differences and history, they need to find a way to survive and expose the traitor in their midst. They also realize chances at love are fleeting unless you grab the opportunity between your teeth and hold on for one wild ride.
Review:
Lions and Tigers and Bears – Oh My! Ok, really, one bear, two lions and a tiger. Sounds like the start of a joke. But no – it’s really a hot, hot m/m/m book by Cheyenne Meadows.
She is a new author for me, but I am grateful to see (based on her website) that she has more coming and soon!
This is a very hot, very well written triad story. First, you have to suspend your disbelief that the three Alpha males would all find happiness with another Alpha (not to mention 2!) but if you let that go – the author does make us see how compatible and caring they are for each other.
The mystery/action part of the story moves along, plays into the back story of the MCs and is exciting, if not terribly full of surprises.
What I liked about the smexy scenes in this book was the constant sexual tension – even though (as you can see in the Blurb) two of the MCs have sex in the first chapter. The author manages to bring us back around to a high level of tension between those two and then compounds it by adding in a third. Very nice.
I thought it was a great book and a fast, easy read. Well edited and nicely written.
I give it 4.5 out of 5 hearts – highly recommended.
Today we’re welcoming Shae Connor to the blog. She shares her thoughts on the setting for Unfortunate Son, a delicious excerpt, and there’s a giveaway! Thanks for stopping by, Shae!
Five years ago, Evan Day lost his lover in the Afghan sand, and in the fallout, he lost his military career and his family. With help from friends, he reinvented himself as porn star Trevor Hardball, but his scars are hidden, not healed. When Riley Yeats falls into Evan’s lap in a bar, he awakens a part of Evan he’d thought was dead and gone. Evan’s fascinated by the blond and twinky Riley, even though he’s the opposite of Evan’s usual type.
Then Evan’s family reappears his life, and Evan soon learns Riley has his own family-inflicted wounds—ones that make it hard for him to be there for Evan. A disastrous confrontation between Evan and his parents leaves Evan’s mother injured and Evan overcome by anger and fear. Losing his tenuous hold on his emotional control, Evan makes one bad decision after another, but maybe his final fall will be the wake-up call Evan needs to set things right—with his parents, and with Riley.
Atlanta as Setting in Unfortunate Son
By Shae Connor
When I started writing Unfortunate Son (lo, these many years ago), I knew the setting was never in question. The bulk of the action would take place right where the story was originally conceived: in Atlanta’s Midtown district, and specifically in the heart of the “Gayborhood,” which is anchored at the intersection of 10th Street and Piedmont Road, just down from the edge of Piedmont Park. It’s an area I’m very familiar with, and I knew it wouldn’t take much effort to make its character shine through.
Midtown stretches between Atlanta’s historic downtown and the flashier, richer neighborhood to the north called Buckhead. The area’s crown jewel is Piedmont Park, which is to Atlanta what Central Park is to Manhattan: a huge, open, green space in the midst of an urban location. Piedmont Park is home to the annual Atlanta Pride Festival, in addition to dozens of other local events, and it’s surrounded by both residential and business areas, most of those populated by members of the gay community. Restaurants, bars, clubs, and stores of all types cater to young urban professionals, many of them gay men.
I’ve spent a lot of time with friends in Midtown the past few years, and while most of the businesses named in Unfortunate Son are fictitious, nearly all of them are based on real locations. Piedmont Lofts, where Riley lives, sits in a real building at the edge of Piedmont Park, though it doesn’t actually house lofts like Riley’s. Piedmont Diner, where Evan and Riley have brunch with Evan’s best friends, Cory and Jimmy, similarly doesn’t exist, but it’s an amalgam of several similar restaurants in the neighborhood. And Panther, the dance club the guys visit, is very loosely based on an Atlanta club that I’ve been to, though mostly in the general vibe, rather than any specifics of layout or even clientele.
One business in Unfortunate Son that’s almost exactly like its real-life counterparts is Bernhardt’s, which plays host to Cory’s performance as drag queen Coco Lamé, a member of the Stilettos drag troupe. The real bar, Burkhart’s, is a frequent hangout for me and quite a few of my friends. Burkhart’s hosts regular drag shows and until recently was home to weekly performances by the Armorettes, also known as the Infamous Camp Drag Queens of the South, the troupe on which the Stilettos were based. Most of the time, though, Burkhart’s is a relatively quiet, pub-like location that serves great steak dinners and has an awesome, friendly staff. In fact, Burkhart’s is hosting a release party for the book, and they’ve been awesome.
For today, I’m offering up an excerpt that gives a peek at Bernhardt’s and the Stilettos. At this point in the story, Riley’s friend Mikey has just moved to Atlanta, and they’ve joined Evan to see Cory (Coco) perform. (You’ll get more of Mikey, Cory, and Jimmy in Wayward Son, which will be out in a few months.)
Excerpt:
Another performer finished her Lady Gaga lip-synch with a flourish, and the crowd erupted into cheers as she collected the last of her tips and waved her way offstage. The emcees reemerged and launched back into their trademark banter, laced with suggestive comments and pop culture references. Evan pulled his phone out of his pocket to check the time. With only fifteen minutes left in the advertised performance window, Cory should be up next.
Sure enough, the bearded emcee in the pink dress—cupid’s bow lips painted to match—smiled and spoke louder. “And now, ladies and gentlemen, without further ado—”
“Ado, ado, to you and you and you-ooo!” the other emcee singsonged, earning a laugh from the crowd and a backhanded slap to the stomach from her cohort.
“…without further interruption from the peanut gallery, the Stilettos are proud to present, in her debut headlining performance—the fabulous Miss Coco Lamé!”
The music started back up, lights flashed, and then out came Coco in all her flashy glory. She wore a gold sequined vest with matching fringe over a white, midriff-baring top, though as she moved, Evan could see that the midriff was actually covered with flesh-colored spandex. Her cowgirl-style hat, tight skirt, and boots shimmered with black glitter, and on one hip, she carried what appeared to be a holster trimmed in even more shiny gold.
Evan was too busy trying not to laugh at the overkill to notice the music, but when Riley lifted a carefully groomed eyebrow and leaned closer, Evan leaned in to catch his comment.
“I wouldn’t have figured Cory—excuse me, Coco—for a Pointer Sisters fan.”
Sure enough, Coco launched into an energetic rendition of “I’m So Excited.” She shimmied, she twisted, she pointed and flirted, and the crowd went crazy for it all. Hands waved money at her in all directions, and Coco collected it with hands, cleavage, and that holster, its presence clearly meant for more than just show.
Coco came closer to their end of the bar, and Evan shared a smile with her as she took the fiver he held out and leaned in to give him a kiss on his cheek. She took Riley’s tip the same way, and then turned to Mikey, who stood as if in shock, staring.
Riley’s eyebrow rose again. “Mikey, honey, you’re supposed to tip the nice lady now,” he admonished.
Mikey snapped back to attention, a blush rising high on his cheeks as he held out his offering. Coco slithered closer, taking Mikey’s wrist and giving an assist for him to deposit the cash directly into her cleavage. Maintaining her grip on Mikey, she pulled him in close for a gentle kiss on the mouth, leaving behind a swipe of bright red lipstick to go with the now deep red of his cheeks. She gave him a final lingering glance and a wink and went back to working the rest of the crowd.
Evan couldn’t help smirking at Mikey, who just stared after Coco, dumbstruck. He leaned closer to Riley. “I think your boy might have a little bit of a crush.”
Riley laughed softly. “I can’t imagine where you could have gotten that idea.”
Author bio:
Shae Connor lives in Atlanta, where she’s a lackadaisical government worker for a living and writes sweet-hot romance under the cover of night. She’s been making things up for as long as she can remember, but it took her a long time to figure out that maybe she should try writing them down. She’s conned several companies into publishing her work and adds a new notch on her bedpost each time another story is unleashed onto an unsuspecting universe.
A member of the Romance Writers of America and the Rainbow Writers chapter, Shae was first published in 2010 and has a lineup of short stories, novellas, and novels available from Dreamspinner Press, Wilde City Press, MLR Press, and Amber Allure.
Shae is part Jersey, part Irish, and all Southern, which explains why she never shuts up. When she’s not chained to her laptop, she enjoys cooking, traveling, watching baseball, and reading voraciously, and she’s an annual volunteer for the Dragon Con on-site publication, the Daily Dragon. You can find her hanging out on Twitter most any time @shaeconnor, but for the more direct route, you can email her at [email protected] or visit her website at shaeconnorwrites.com.
When homicide detective Dexter J. Daley’s testimony helps send his partner away for murder, the consequences—and the media frenzy—aren’t far behind. He soon finds himself sans boyfriend, sans friends, and, after an unpleasant encounter in a parking garage after the trial, he’s lucky he doesn’t find himself sans teeth. Dex fears he’ll get transferred from the Human Police Force’s Sixth Precinct, or worse, get dismissed. Instead, his adoptive father—a sergeant at the Therian-Human Intelligence Recon Defense Squadron otherwise known as the THIRDS—pulls a few strings, and Dex gets recruited as a Defense Agent.
Dex is determined to get his life back on track and eager to get started in his new job. But his first meeting with Team Leader Sloane Brodie, who also happens to be his new jaguar Therian partner, turns disastrous. When the team is called to investigate the murders of three HumaniTherian activists, it soon becomes clear to Dex that getting his partner and the rest of the tightknit team to accept him will be a lot harder than catching the killer—and every bit as dangerous.
What can I say about this? I have heard so many wonderful things about this book the rave reviews that everyone gave me. Needless to say it definitely earned the high praises. This book managed to snatch my attention from the beginning of the first page and retained my attention to the end of the last page. I liked this world where shifters are presented differently. In this, they’re not in hiding, finding mates or in the throes of any mating heat. The Therians are the result of a human made virus gone horribly awry that was released decades before. THIRDS is a governmental police force created to investigate and fight crimes involving Therians.
Dex is transferred to this organization from the Human Police Force after testifying against his former partner for the murder of an unarmed Therian youth. Now this is where is where the only bump in the road for this book starts for me. In the beginning of the book, Dex is left in a bad place after the trial. His colleagues on the force, people he trusted on the police force, people he considered friends turned against him, his boyfriend leaves him. Then he’s transferred to the THIRDS thanks to his dad pulling a few strings. Okay, he arrives to the new unit and his personality totally changes. I mean complete 180 that left me wondering if I missed something. He goes from being this somber detective whose life is falling apart and becomes this happy go lucky, jokester who is happy and laughing and just laid back. It gave me whiplash along with the unclear POV shifts. That personality shift wasn’t explained in the story so I just figured that was always his personality and it just wasn’t presented with the trial and all of the drama he was dealing with while with the HPF.
With that aside, his antics were pretty hilarious. I found myself laughing to the point of tears. Even though it was just a bit over the top, I felt that it was exactly what the team needed at that time. They were all hurting after losing a beloved team member and they were functioning, but not really dealing with the loss.
The pace was slow but not bad but a few ‘info dumps’ caused the story to drag in some parts. In all, this was a very good book and I truly enjoyed it. The action (once it got going) was pretty awesome. The mystery was well written along with the dialogue. The cliffhanger at the end of the story will segue perfect into the next in the series. I really enjoyed reading this book and couldn’t put it down once I got started.
Only a privileged few know L’Ange’s head of security Arman de Soto is a shifter, and even fewer know he’s been systematically killing off a pack of werewolves. The reason for this vengeance is a secret Arman trusts with no one, quite the opposite of his obvious longtime pursuit of the château’s overseer, Linus Hobbes. Despite Arman’s reputation as a loner, the only thing he needs to complete his life is Linus. Predator and prey just don’t mix—but Arman won’t give him up.
Linus has lived alone for more than seven years, sheltered at L’Ange under an assumed name and hiding secrets of his own, including his terrifying attraction to the most dangerous man he’s ever met. Arman knows Linus should be afraid of the predator stalking him, but Linus is still drawn to him like a moth to a flame, no matter how much he tries to deny his instincts. It’s not until Linus’s past and Arman’s crusade exposes their secrets and opens L’Ange to attack that Arman realizes waiting any longer is a risk he just can’t take. So he’ll have to take his quest to the source of the threat in a gamble to protect L’Ange, Linus, and any future they might have together.
Review
We met Arman in Old Loyalty, New Love. He was the mysterious bodyguard who helped protect Roman and Quade. Though we were led to believe he was interested in a certain jackal named Tucker, we find out quickly that this was a red-herring, serving to stir jealousy in the heart of Linus.
Linus is the fastidious and cold caretaker of L’Ange. It’s clear he’s been abused in his past and we learn early on just how terrible that abuse was. Arman has been Linus’ protector and often his touchstone for years, but the time has come for that relationship to develop to its full potential and Arman isn’t waiting any longer.
Arman is a man of mystery. We don’t know what he is, though we all think he must be a shifter – it isn’t until quite a bit into the story that we figure out just what he is. (I think everyone will be surprised by the reveal!)
In addition to hiding who he is, he also hides what he does. We find out that he has an agenda- a vendetta really – of epic proportions. This vendetta makes him almost an anti-hero. He’s definitely not the typical perfect Alpha we have seen in other Mary Calmes’ stories. He’s got a dark side that he’s embraced fully.
Surprisingly, Linus is perfectly okay with this dark side and in fact, he too embraces the vendetta and we see some pretty significant changes in his personality as a result of this.
One of the things I really liked about this story was that Linus and Arman get together pretty early on. They work as a team for most of the story and it was imminently satisfying to watch their relationship grow and deepen while they worked together.
Though it might seem a bit blood-thirsty, the vendetta is explained really well and at no time did I feel that there was any other possible course of action than that which Arman took.
I really felt that in this “universe” the animal natures of the shifters were really well developed and “authentic”. These aren’t people who just happen to have the occasional “furry power” thrown in to explain insta-love and mating. They are truly unique beings with a different set of rules and personalities.
I loved that Roman wasn’t quite on board with the vendetta. Sure, he loves Linus and despised what happened to him, but he wasn’t born a shifter and he still sees things through a human lens and judges by a different rule-book.
Mary Calmes is amazing at world building and her shifter universe is unique, creative and very well developed. She isn’t afraid to stray from typical “shifter” lore and she draws us in with her own clever style.
The chemistry between Arman and Linus is scorching hot. Mary writes excellent sex scenes and the sexual tension and it’s subsequent release is phenomenal in Fighting Instinct.
I can’t wait to see what happens between Jon and Kelvin and hope to see book three in the very near future!
Though it isn’t the first time and it won’t be the last time I say it – I love Mary Calmes’ books and I highly recommend them all.
Adam Macias has been thrown a few curve balls in his life, but losing his VA grant because his car broke down and he missed a class was the one that struck him out. One relative away from homelessness, he’s taking the bus to Sacramento, where his cousin has offered a house-sitting job and a new start. He has one goal, and that’s to get his life back on track. Friends, pets, lovers? Need not apply.
Finn Stewart takes one look at Adam as he’s applying to Candy Heaven and decides he’s much too fascinating to leave alone. Finn is bright and shiny—and has never been hurt. Adam is wary of his attention from the very beginning—Finn is dangerous to every sort of peace Adam is forging, and Adam may just be too damaged to let him in at all.
But Finn is tenacious, and Adam’s new boss, Darrin, doesn’t take bullshit for an answer. Adam is going to have to ask himself which is harder—letting Finn in or living without him? With the holidays approaching it seems like an easy question, but Adam knows from experience that life is seldom simple, and the world seldom cooperates with hope, faith, or the plans of cats and men.
Review
Adam is having a rough life. His mother and grandmother treated him like pond scum growing up, so he joined the military to prove he was “worthy”. He fell in love with one of his fellow soldiers, only to be left high and dry when his lover didn’t want to come out of the closet. He returned to the states to go back to school, but lost his grant when his car died and he could no longer attend classes. With his last gasp, he heads up to his cousin’s apartment for 6 months of free rent to try to get his life in order.
With what feels like divine intervention, Adam stumbles into Candy Heaven following the Help Wanted sign and is immediately set to work. His boss also plays the role of his fairy godfather and matchmaker by hooking him up with Finn, the sandwich delivery guy.
Finn is young, idealistic, freshly single, and unstoppable. He sees the darkness in Adam and knows he can bring in the light. By pairing his cheery disposition with offerings of free food, he slowly breaks through the walls surrounding Adam’s heart.
Adam, who fully believes he isn’t worthy of someone like Finn, does what he can to stave off the romance, but when he really needs help, Finn is there and it’s Finn who helps him see that he does have value and most importantly – hope.
**
This is one of Amy’s relatively “low angst” stories. Of course she will make you cry (for me it was at least twice because I had a white Boxer and a cat named Jake!) but most of the story is full of “awwww”. I was reminded of her story Christmas Kitsch in that Oliver – little Oliver – was the force of nature – blowing in and taking charge. In The Candy Man – that’s Finn. He won’t take no for an answer and he’s fearless.
I also really enjoyed the secondary characters and I really hope Joni gets her girl one day and that we get to read more about Rico’s romance. (Fingers crossed!). The vaguely paranormal part of the story left me with a new respect for Pixie Stix, as well!
Amy can describe a scene so thoroughly that I could picture Adam’s drawings, Finn’s hair, Gonzo’s fight against the medicine – everything. Adam’s sketch book journal was a particularly wonderful vehicle for showing both us and Finn the inside workings of his brain and past and I thought it was a tremendously clever tool.
I am thankful for this sweet story with little angst she has given us to brighten up our holiday season.
Aaron Weiss knows how to escape. Years ago, he ran from a romantic disappointment and impulsively joined the Army. Now, he’s forced to take a medical discharge and readjusting to life at home proves a challenge.
Jesse Ross knows how to hide. He realizes he’s an oddball, and that he’s an outsider within his own family. He also knows his secret love since childhood, Aaron, only wants his good-looking, favored older brother. Yet Jesse could never completely abandon his intense feelings for Aaron. Over the years, Jesse was a faithful pen pal to him. Still, he’s shocked to his core to find Aaron on his doorstep.
As long-buried secrets and past hurts take center stage, the two are overwhelmingly drawn to each other. But it’s their future that may force them to risk everything.
Morgan’s Review
Aaron fell in love with Jesse’s brother when they were kids. When he didn’t return the sentiment Aaron fled, but has harbored the crush for all these years.
Meanwhile Jesse has had a crush on Aaron ever since he knew what it was to want another person.
While Aaron was in the military he and Jesse formed a strong friendship through the mail but still, Aaron harbors nothing more than a vague feeling of companionship for Jesse and a burning hot adoration for his brother.
One day, after Aaron is sent home from the military for a bad heart, he goes to visit Jesse and is surprised at the man Jesse has become.
Jesse, a loner from the beginning, has only become more of a recluse over time, doesn’t know what to do with his childhood crush. On the one hand he thinks he’s just as gorgeous as ever, but doesn’t know how to like someone who can “like” his huge jerk of a brother.
Finally – FINALLY – Aaron manages to see Jesse for the amazing man he is and to see the other crush he’s harbored all these years was nothing more than a mirage.
It looks like the couple is really going to make it work when Aaron’s medical troubles drive him to the hospital again. Aaron doesn’t want Jesse to be burdened with anyone less than perfect so he pushes Jesse away. Fortunately Jesse fights for Aaron, and after a brief, but tense period apart, Aaron pulls his head out and the two re-unite… forever.
**
In this book, Aaron (Dean’s friend) is nothing like you’d expect an ex-military man to be. In fact, Jesse is the hard-ass of the relationship.
I really enjoyed watching Jesse deal with his social anxiety and the support he got from Aaron. I also really liked that Jesse was NEVER a wimp. He put up a good fight and Aaron really had to work hard to convince him what they have is real.
The secondary characters, ie brother, parents, friends; were all very well thought out and really added to the realistic feel of the story. The sub-plot with Jesse’s family was fascinating. I could really feel his pain at being “the red-headed-step-child” of the family.
I enjoyed this book when I read it and Matt Baca did an excellent job with the audio. He did a nice vaguely Brooklyn accent when needed and it was clear who was speaking.
I give both the book and the audiobook 4.5 hearts, I really enjoyed them!
Blurb
