Wednesday, April 11, 2018

Review Tour - Soul to Keep by Garrett Leigh




Length: 62,000 words

Cover Design: Black Jazz Design

Rented Heart Series

Rented Heart (Book #1) - Universal Buy Link

Blurb

Recovering addict Jamie Yorke has returned to England from California. With no home or family to speak of, he sticks a pin in a map and finds a small town in the Derbyshire Peak District. Matlock Bath is a quiet place—he just needs to get there, keep his head down, and stay clean. Simple, right? Until a chance meeting on the flight home alters the course of his so-called life forever.

Ex-Army medic Marc Ramsey is recovering from life-changing combat injuries while pulling nights as a trauma specialist at the local hospital. Keeping busy is a habit he can’t quit, but when Jamie—so wild and beautiful—bursts into his life, working himself into the ground isn’t as compelling as it used to be.

?Marc falls hard, but chaos lurks behind Jamie’s fragile facade. He’s winning his battle against addiction, but another old foe is slowly consuming him. Both men have weathered many storms, but the path to the peace they deserve might prove the roughest ride yet.




April 9 - My Fiction Nook
April 16 - OMG Reads





Yay for cross overs!! If you're not aware, some of the characters featured in this story are the MC's, Conner and Nat, from Between Ghosts. Nat happens to be Marc's BF and ex military buddy. I also have a feeling we may get some Wedge in the future.

Jamie, Jamie, Jamie... How my heart breaks for you. I didn't read the first book, so I don't know Liam, Zac and Marvin. This only confused me for about the first 6-8% of the book when Jamie was in California in rehab.
The way Marvin was talking was not your typical Californian, so I was kind of scratching my head. Until I got a quick rundown of book 1. With that all clearerd up things went a lot smoother on that front.

I loved Jamie's character. Garret gave great addiction. I felt like I was really in an addicts head and felt his pain and fears. I also really loved Marc's character. Ex-military trauma doctor with his own medical issues. I could really relate to these characters, even though I do not have these issues (aside from a book addiction). Together though, I can't say I really felt the heat or intensity of their relationship. I thought they made great friends and bounced their emotions and healing efforts off one another, but I just was missing a spark from them.

I'm not sure if it was because it was almost like an insta-love but with a slow burn in the bedroom department due to their hang-up s? which sounds odd, because that kind of relationship building should be solid.

At any rate, I did enjoy this story. Again, Garret does a fantastic job with afflictions, whether they be due to personal reasons or just really digging deep to research each one. They pay off in the writing because I feel with and for these characters as if they were really people Im getting to know. They're all so unique in their stories and I just love them.

3.75*


Garrett Leigh is an award-winning British writer and book designer, currently working for Dreamspinner Press, Loose Id, Riptide Publishing, and Fox Love Press.


Garrett's debut novel, Slide, won Best Bisexual Debut at the 2014 Rainbow Book Awards, and her polyamorous novel, Misfits was a finalist in the 2016 LAMBDA awards.



When not writing, Garrett can generally be found procrastinating on Twitter, cooking up a storm, or sitting on her behind doing as little as possible, all the while shouting at her menagerie of children and animals and attempting to tame her unruly and wonderful FOX.



Garrett is also an award winning cover artist, taking the silver medal at the Benjamin Franklin Book Awards in 2016. She designs for various publishing houses and independent authors at blackjazzdesign.com, and co-owns the specialist stock site moonstockphotography.com with photographer Dan Burgess.


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Tuesday, April 10, 2018

COVER REVEAL - On the Ice by Amy Aislin




Cover Design: Lee Hyat Designs

Length: 87,500 words approx.

Blurb

For college sophomore Mitch Greyson, determination and persistence are the name of the game if he wants to make it as a professional hockey player. A busy schedule of practices, games, classes, homework, two part-time jobs—and now, working with a tutor to help him pass the class he’s failing so that he can keep his scholarship—shouldn’t leave him with enough time to flirt with the NHL player in town. But that doesn’t stop him.

Placed on the injured reserve list until his broken arm heals, NHL defenseman Alex Dean is using the time off to be with his ailing grandfather and get a head start on the book he’s been commissioned to write. He doesn’t expect to get roped into a tutoring gig, especially not for cocky, smart-ass Mitch.

But Alex soon discovers that there’s more to Mitch than meets the eye...and he really likes what he sees. Only Alex doesn’t dare risk his NHL career by coming out, and a relationship between them would jeopardize Mitch’s chances with the organization too.

It looks impossible. Then again, the best things usually do...

On the Ice is an m/m contemporary romance featuring a flirty college hockey player who meets his match in a demisexual NHL player.



Amy started writing on a rainy day in fourth grade when her class was forced to stay inside for recess. Tales of adventures with her classmates quickly morphed into tales of adventures with the characters in her head. Based in the suburbs of Toronto, Amy is a marketer/fundraiser at a large environmental non-profit in Toronto by day, and a writer by night. Book enthusiast, animal lover and (very) amateur photographer, her interests are many and varied, including travelling, astronomy, ecology, and baking. She binge watches too much anime, and loves musical theater, Julie Andrews, the Backstreet Boys, and her hometown of Oakville, Ontario.

Website: http://amyaislin.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amy.aislin
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AmyAislinAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/amy_aislin
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amyaislin
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/amyaislinauthor
Tumblr: https://amyaislin.tumblr.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16693566.Amy_Aislin
QueeRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/amy-aislin
Amazon: amazon.com/author/amyaislin



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Monday, April 9, 2018

New Release & Giveaway- Blood Bathory: Like the Night (The Guardians of Gaia Book 1) by Ari McKay




Cover Design: Lou Harper

Length: 123,737 words

Blurb

Evan St. John, a young fashion photographer running from the pain caused by the death of his younger sister, is thrilled when he is offered a job with House of Nadasdy, a leading fashion house in Paris. What he doesn't know is that Elizabeth Nadasdy, the elegant and powerful owner, is a centuries-old vampire with a penchant for collecting beautiful people. To Evan's horror, he is turned into one of her "children."

Unable to bear what he has become, Evan flees to New York and to his best friend, police officer Will Trask. For years, Evan has nursed an unrequited love for Will, but he also knows Will is the one person who might be able to help him. As Evan and Will try to deal with Evan's condition, they are drawn into the world of the theriomorphs: shape-shifters who are guardians of life and the sworn enemies of vampires. Caught in an ancient war between two powerful supernatural forces, Evan and Will find they must choose sides - because if they are to have any chance of a future together, they must destroy Elizabeth Nadasdy before she destroys them.



Excerpt

Will had always been protective of those he cared about, and Evan was no exception, especially since Evan's attractive face, slender build and "out and proud" attitude had occasionally made him a target on campus. It had been that way since their freshman year, and it was no different now. It was ridiculous, perhaps, and no doubt part of that White Knight thing Evan had always teased him about, but Will couldn't help it; it was just the way he was.

"You might as well 'fess up now, because I'm going to get the story out of you one way or another. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you if I can do anything about it. We stick together, right?" Will's tone grew serious. "I mean it, Evan. You know you can count on me. You're my best friend." It was still true, even though they hadn't been face-to-face in years. No one had ever taken Evan's place in his life; no one ever could.

"Even if I tell you I've been working for a vampire?" Evan asked softly. "I don't mean that figuratively, either. I mean literally. She's a monster. She's killed her own models. She turns people into monsters like her."

For a long moment, Will couldn't do anything but stare at his friend, wondering if this was a joke and he was somehow missing the punch line. Evan's blue eyes were haunted but guileless; the man was a lousy liar, at least when it came to Will, and there was too much pain in Evan's gaze for it to be some elaborate trick. Whatever was really going on, Evan, at least, believed what he was saying, and that was the most horrifying part of it. Whatever had happened to Evan in the last few months had damaged him in a way that Will was afraid he wasn't going to be able to fix.

It was painful to face the fact that his best friend had apparently suffered some sort of mental breakdown, and Will cursed himself for not having tried harder to get in contact when Evan's communications had grown infrequent. Obviously Evan had been going through something terrible, and Will knew that he had to do whatever he could to get Evan the help he needed. Which meant making sure that Evan remained here for now, until Will could figure out how to get him to a doctor.

"Let me make sure I understand what you're saying," he replied, keeping his voice quiet and reassuring. "Elizabeth Nadasdy, the famous fashion designer, is a vampire who kills people. That makes sense, I suppose. Or at least it explains why the models all look as though they weigh five pounds." His attempt at humor sounded hollow, but it was the best he could do at the moment. "And she's after you?"

Evan leaned back away from Will. "You don't believe me. You think I'm crazy."

Will hated to see that look on Evan's face, the question of sanity aside. "Evan, it's not that I don't want to believe you, all right? But you know how it sounds, don't you?" He knew his tone was pleading. "Vampires don't exist. I can tell you believe it, though, and that makes it hard, because I know you'd never lie to me. But how can I believe it? How can you believe it?" He reached out and touched Evan's arm in mute appeal. "How?"

Evan met Will's gaze, his expression steady and calm, no trace of madness lurking in his gaze. "I don't just believe it. I know it. I know it because I'm one, too."
Ari McKay is the professional pseudonym for Arionrhod and McKay, who have been writing together for over a decade. Their collaborations encompass a wide variety of romance genres, including contemporary, fantasy, science fiction, gothic, and action/adventure. Their work includes the Blood Bathory series of paranormal novels, the Herc s Mercs series, as well as two historical Westerns: Heart of Stone and Finding Forgiveness. When not writing, they can often be found scheming over costume designs or binge watching TV shows together.

Arionrhod is a systems engineer by day who is eagerly looking forward to (hopefully) becoming a full time writer in the not-too-distant future. Now that she is an empty-nester, she has turned her attentions to finding the perfect piece of land to build a fortress in preparation for the zombie apocalypse, and baking (and eating) far too many cakes.

McKay is an English teacher who has been writing for one reason or another most of her life. She also enjoys knitting, reading, cooking, and playing video games. She has been known to knit in public. Given she has the survival skills of a gnat, she s relying on Arionrhod to help her survive the zombie apocalypse.

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New Release, Review and Giveaway ~ Syncopation by Anna Zabo


Syncopation

Series: Twisted Wishes #1

Publisher: Carina Press

Release Date (Ebook): April 9, 2018

Length (Print & Ebook): 104,000 words or ~295 pages

Subgenre: contemporary romance; m/m romance

Includes: Rockstars, BDSM, Angst, Pansexual/bisexual, Aromantic

Links:

Synopsis:

There’s no resisting the thrum of temptation in this male/male rock-star romance from genre-favorite author Anna Zabo!

Twisted Wishes front man Ray Van Zeller is in one hell of a tight spot. After a heated confrontation with his bandmate goes viral, Ray is hit with a PR nightmare the fledgling band so doesn’t need. But his problems only multiply when they snag a talented new drummer—insufferably sexy Zavier Demos, the high school crush Ray barely survived.

Zavier’s kept a casual eye on Twisted Wishes for years, and lately, he likes what he sees. What he doesn’t like is how out of control Ray seems—something Zavier’s aching to correct after their first pulse-pounding encounter. If Ray’s up for the challenge.

Despite the prospect of a glorious sexual encore, Ray is reluctant to trust Zavier with his band—or his heart. And Zavier has always had big dreams; this gig was supposed to be temporary. But touring together has opened their eyes to new passions and new possibilities, making them rethink their commitments, both to the band and to each other.


Excerpt :

The clock in Ray’s room read 3:57. He closed his eyes against the red glow. Fucking hell. He should be dead asleep. He’d burned so much energy, his body ached from dancing, jumping, and singing. He’d been higher than a kite after the show.
Zavier had touched him—not just a friendly pat on the back, but an intimate clasp that nearly put him on his knees in front of who knew how many fans. Bet that photo was already making the rounds.
He kinda wanted to see it. Did Zavier look like Ray remembered—like he might kiss Ray, like he wanted Ray?
Instead, Zavier had spoken, his breath a caress against Ray’s ear. You did exactly what I told you to do. I’m very pleased. Very pleased. He’d never heard those words spoken with the same tone as suck my cock before.
Ray rolled over and ignored the hardness of his dick. He wouldn’t jack off to Zavier. Except he already had once tonight. And had on previous nights. Fucking asshole was stunning and sexy and…not actually an asshole.
Well, maybe a little, but they all had their edges.
Part of him wished he could take the risk and get buzzed on liquor; the other part knew drinking wouldn’t help at all. He was too wired from the concert and should have crashed hours ago—everyone else had. Dom was sawing wood in the next room, loud enough Ray was tempted to go in and roll him onto his side to shut him up.
God, the concert. They’d never sounded so good. He’d never felt that alive with the music behind him. Once they’d started playing, Ray hadn’t needed to worry. Hadn’t had to figure out how to cover for mistakes, bad playing, or anything. The band would nail it, so he’d been free to let go and sing.
Trust. He trusted the band again. He’d always known Dom and Mish would play their hearts out, but he’d never known if Kevin would survive the night.
Zavier not only survived, he’d ruled every beat, from the first to the last.
Ray trusted Zavier.
Zavier believed in Ray.
Ray grunted, and that sharp, painful sound faded in the room. He had no idea why Zavier believed in him. He wasn’t anything like Zav. Not as talented, not as skilled. Yes, he worked hard—but he fucked up so often it wasn’t funny. Sure, Mish and Dom were on his side, but that was because they’d been together for years and they’d accepted him, warts, foolishness, and all.
But Zavier? He had no reason at all to believe in Ray and every reason not to.
Yet he did. Deferred to Ray. Treated him like an equal. And Ray fucking wanted him, wanted his kiss, his words in his ear and breath on his neck.


REVIEWED BY


***** five star
Ray Van Hellers dream is to make it big with his band Twisted Wishes. After a fight with a band mate, it puts the band in a tight spot. After holding auditions the band finds a drummer to replace the one who left. It just so happens to be Zavier Demos the guy Ray lusted over in high school.
Zavier comes in as the bands saving grace. Taking them to a whole new level. The man who stands in the background and lets Ray lead the band, he’s also the man who helps Ray grow his back but also gives Ray the strength he needs to stand up to their band manager.

 Their energy is explosives especially when Dom Zavier comes out to play. These two are awesome together. Each bringing something to the table to help the other out. Zavier helping Ray with something he never knew he needed and Ray helping Zavier realize that he’s not incapable of feelings towards someone. I definitely want to read more about these two, but I also can’t wait to read more on the other band members.

About Anna Zabo:


Anna Zabo writes contemporary and paranormal romance for all colors of the rainbow. They live and work in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which isn’t nearly as boring as most people think.

Anna grew up in the wilds of suburban Philadelphia before returning to their ancestral homelands in Western Pennsylvania. As a child they were heartily disappointed to discover that they couldn’t grow up to be what they wanted (a boy, a cat, a dragon), so they settled on being themself whenever possible, which may be a combination of a boy, a cat, and a dragon. Or perhaps a girl, a knight, and a writer. Depends on whom you ask. They do have a penchant for colorful ties and may be hording a small collection of cufflinks.They can be easily plied with coffee.

Anna has an MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University, where they fell in with a roving band of romance writers and never looked back. They also have a BA in Creative Writing from Carnegie Mellon University.

Connect with Anna Zabo:


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Wednesday, April 4, 2018

New from EJ Russell ~ Tested in Fire + & A Giveaway



About Tested in Fire

Six months ago, Stefan Cobbe was at rock bottom: grief-stricken, guilt ridden, debt laden, artistically blocked, and living on charity in an isolated mountain cabin. But after reconciling with his first love, Luke, and moving to Sarasota with him, Stefan is preparing for his first major show. Yes, he still has debts, and no, Luke doesn’t understand Stefan’s desire for independence. But compared to last year? No contest.

Luke Morganstern ought to be happy. After all, his art-investigation business has recovered and he’s got his boyfriend back. But Stefan stubbornly refuses to move in with him or accept Luke’s financial help, and it’s really starting to bug him. Who knew that the biggest test of their relationship wouldn’t be time or distance, but his own insecurities? After Luke’s next job—a trip to Italy to retrieve a mysterious artifact—he plans to convince Stefan that it’s time to totally commit.

But when Luke returns, he changes, and Stefan begins to suspect that the person in Luke’s skin isn’t Luke at all. He can hardly go to the police and claim his lover is the victim of a supernatural hijacking though. He needs alternative help to find Luke and get him back, because he refuses to let anyone—or anything—come between them again.



About the Art Medium Series



Artists use all manner of materials to express their vision, to interpret the world around them, to affect the hearts and minds of their audience.

But what if the artist himself were the medium? And what if artistic inspiration weren’t the only force at work?

If painter Stefan Cobbe and art investigator Luke Morganstern don’t answer those questions fast, they stand to lose their reputations, their relationship—and their lives.



About E.J. Russell

E.J. Russell holds a BA and an MFA in theater, so naturally she’s spent the last three decades as a financial manager, database designer, and business-intelligence consultant. After her twin sons left for college and she no longer spent half her waking hours ferrying them to dance class, she returned to her childhood love of writing fiction. Now she wonders why she ever thought an empty nest meant leisure.

E.J. lives in rural Oregon with her curmudgeonly husband, the only man on the planet who cares less about sports than she does. She enjoys visits from her wonderful adult children, and indulges in good books, red wine, and the occasional hyperbole.



Anyone who’s read more than a couple of my books probably knows that I set them all in the Pacific Northwest. In fact, all but one (For a Good Time, Call…, part of the Bluewater Bay series, set on the Olympic peninsula in Washington) are set in Oregon, usually in and around Portland.


Then there’s Tested in Fire.


Tested in Fire is set in Sarasota, Florida—definitely the very odd one out. My Curmudgeonly Husband’s parents moved to Sarasota from Connecticut after my father-in-law retired. The first time we visited them, they were living in a high-rise condo building right on the Gulf (as in their balcony overlooked the water and the beach started right next to the pool). I think they imagined that CH and I would take one look and immediately want to move there.


Clearly, despite being acquainted with their son since birth, they still didn’t really know him! When we bought our house in rural Oregon (the same one we live in now, almost thirty years later), one of CH’s criteria for a perfect location was, “I don’t want to be able to see my neighbors from my windows.” We managed that in rural Oregon. In Sarasota? Not a chance.


My in-laws’ condo management groomed the beach in front of their building (real estate that the building owned) with a tractor every day so the sand was white and clean and free of detritus. You could still pick up shells, delivered by gentle waves at the tide line, something my daughter was quite fond of doing.


Sarasota is most definitely a sea level kind of place, which makes it perfect for Luke (who hates the mountains after his accident in the Alps). In fact, I modeled his condo after my in-laws’ first place, up to and including the black lacquer curio cabinet in the living room—although I shoehorned an office in there for Luke’s computer and business files.


Now in Oregon, the coastline is all public land. There are regular volunteer “beach clean-up” days, but the sand is not pristine, the jetties are made of rough stone blocks, and the surf can be wild and sneaky.


CH adores the Oregon coast. He clambers along the jetties, collects mussels from the rocks, and goes clamming in the tidewater flats.


My mother-in-law, on the other hand, calls it “that awful beach.”


To give you an idea, here’s a picture of CH and the kids back in the day, the Nehalem jetty at their backs, and wearing their matching shorty wetsuits.


Because that’s the other thing about the Oregon Coast: compared to the Gulf, it’s fricking cold!



Connect with E.J.:

Website: ejrussell.com

Giveaway

To celebrate the release of both books in the Art Medium series, E.J. is giving away a $25 Amazon credit and an ebook copy of both titles in the Legend Tripping series! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Contest closes at midnight, Eastern time, on April 7, 2017 and is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Don’t forget to leave your contact info!

Tuesday, April 3, 2018

Cover Reveal ~ As I Am by Melissa Collins




Happy Cover Reveal Day! We are so excited to share this amazingly HOT cover with you!
As I Am by Melissa Collins Release date: 4/25/2018 A contemporary M/M romance
Cover design: Sommer Stein at Perfect Pear Creative Covers
Photography: Christopher John at CJC Photography
Models: Sam Wiles and Aaron Michael Bell


BLURB:
  Chase Hansen. Broke. College drop out. Male stripper.

My life wasn't at all what I imagined it would be. I should have been finishing up college, interning with a well-respected business, partying with my friends. But instead, I was raising my seventeen year old brother, struggling to make ends meet. Love wasn't even on my radar. Besides, what did I have to offer? A few crumpled singles pulled from my G-string? Defeated and exhausted, I knew I had zero chance of finding someone to love me just as I am.

Noah Carpenter. Angry. Betrayed. Doctor.

Just when I thought my life was going exactly as it should, everything turned upside down. With my final rotation in medical school complete, I finally achieved my lifelong dream of becoming a doctor. What I never expected was to catch the man of my dreams in our bed with the man of his. Beyond infuriated, I struggled to piece together the remnants of my life. Just when I'd decided to give up on love altogether, I found a man who loved me just as I am.


Add As I Am to your TBR on Goodreads here.
Join me on Facebook for a $25 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway here!

Meet Chase and Noah today in this FREE short story!


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

                                         

Melissa Collins has always been a book worm. Studying Literature in college ensured that her nose was always stuck in a book. She followed her passion for reading to the most logical career choice: English teacher. Her hope was to share her passion for reading and the escapism of books to her students. Having spent more than a decade in front of a classroom, she can easily say that it’s been a dream. Her passion for writing didn’t start until more recently. When she was home on maternity leave in early 2012, she read her first romance novel and her head filled with the passion, angst and laughter of the characters who she read about it. It wasn’t long before characters of her own took shape in her mind. Their lives took over Melissa’s brain and The Love Series was born.

Monday, April 2, 2018

Release Day Blitz ~ Soul to Keep by Garrett Leigh




Length: 62,000 words

Cover Design: Black Jazz Design

Rented Heart Series

Rented Heart (Book #1) - Universal Buy Link

Blurb

Recovering addict Jamie Yorke has returned to England from California. With no home or family to speak of, he sticks a pin in a map and finds a small town in the Derbyshire Peak District. Matlock Bath is a quiet place—he just needs to get there, keep his head down, and stay clean. Simple, right? Until a chance meeting on the flight home alters the course of his so-called life forever.


Ex-Army medic Marc Ramsey is recovering from life-changing combat injuries while pulling nights as a trauma specialist at the local hospital. Keeping busy is a habit he can’t quit, but when Jamie—so wild and beautiful—bursts into his life, working himself into the ground isn’t as compelling as it used to be.



?Marc falls hard, but chaos lurks behind Jamie’s fragile facade. He’s winning his battle against addiction, but another old foe is slowly consuming him. Both men have weathered many storms, but the path to the peace they deserve might prove the roughest ride yet.



Garrett Leigh is an award-winning British writer and book designer, currently working for Dreamspinner Press, Loose Id, Riptide Publishing, and Fox Love Press.


Garrett's debut novel, Slide, won Best Bisexual Debut at the 2014 Rainbow Book Awards, and her polyamorous novel, Misfits was a finalist in the 2016 LAMBDA awards.



When not writing, Garrett can generally be found procrastinating on Twitter, cooking up a storm, or sitting on her behind doing as little as possible, all the while shouting at her menagerie of children and animals and attempting to tame her unruly and wonderful FOX.



Garrett is also an award winning cover artist, taking the silver medal at the Benjamin Franklin Book Awards in 2016. She designs for various publishing houses and independent authors at blackjazzdesign.com, and co-owns the specialist stock site moonstockphotography.com with photographer Dan Burgess.


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TODAY'S SPOTLIGHT

RELEASE DAY BLITZ- The Queen's Starfire Throne (Infernal War Saga III) by Hailey Turner

  The Queen's Starfire Throne by Hailey Turner is now live!   Every road must come to an end. THE DEAD. Facing a war where revenants out...