Sunday, May 31, 2020

RELEASE BLITZ, GIVEAWAY & REVIEW - Always You by Nell Iris



Book Title: Always You

Author: Nell Iris

Publisher: JMS Books

Cover Artist: Written Ink Designs

Release Date: May 30, 2020

Genre/s: Contemporary M/M Romance

Trope/s: Childhood friends to lovers

Themes: Self-discovery

Heat Rating: 2 flames 

Length: 11 000 words

It is a standalone story.




Buy Links

 


Best friends. Roommates. And now, maybe…more?




Thom Novak feels like a walking cliché: the gay guy desperately in love with his straight best friend, Lee. But he’s willing to keep his feelings hidden, to do whatever it takes, as long as they stay friends forever.

Lee Conway loves sharing an apartment with Thom, his best friend since birth, and would be happy doing it for the rest of his life…no matter his current girlfriend’s opinion on the matter. But he’s never been known for being in contact with his emotions.

When something happens to upset the status quo, Lee pulls away. Has Lee learned how Thom feels about him? Will it mean the end of their friendship? Or is there another reason Lee needs time to think? A more…hopeful reason?





My Rating - 4 Stars!

Nell Iris' Always You is a sugary sweet novella. 

Thom is desperately in love with his straight best friend and roommate. Ends up he's about to learn something new about his friend.

This is a story of discovering your truth and living it. These two are so damn sweet together. 

The author once again excels in developing a story quickly. Despite being a short book, the reader never feels like anything is missing. The characters and the storyline have plenty of development to grab the reader's interest.

Always You is perfect when you're in the mood for a short and tender romance. This Nell Iris story is a beautiful friends to lovers quick tale. And, oh I love the ending!







The next morning, I’m one hundred and ten percent certain something’s wrong. It’s 6:17 AM and I’m waiting for Lee in the kitchen, leaning against the sink, trying to make my glass of water last so I have an excuse for hanging around, doing nothing but staring in the direction of his bedroom.

Every morning, we go out running together at 6 AM on the dot. Without fail, come rain or shine, weekend or workday. The only exception is if either of us is sick or if it’s a world-ending kind of storm outside. And Lee is a stickler for being on time: between him and me, I’m the one who’s always late and leave him waiting impatiently for me to get ready.

And now it’s almost twenty past six and he hasn’t showed his face yet?

Outside, it’s a lovely May morning. The birds are chirping, waking up the neighborhood, and the first rays of sun promise to finally heat up our corner of the world. So no world-ending storm in sight, and yet he’s nowhere to be seen.

Is he dying?

Any other day, I would march into his room, pull off his down comforter, and yell in my best—albeit not very good—imitation of a drill sergeant—Get up, get up, get up!—but today I’m strangely reluctant.

On one hand, I want an explanation for his weird mood from yesterday—and his tardiness!—but on the other hand I still want to give him time if he needs it. And part of me isn’t entirely sure I’m not over-reacting.

But I can’t help thinking that it has to be something about me. What if he found out how I really feel about him and can’t deal with it? Not that I can recall doing something to show my hand, but I can’t be sure.

Maybe it’s something Debora said? Did she figure me out and tell him? She’s never shown any homophobic tendencies, so I don’t think that would be the reason. But maybe she’s jealous? She wouldn’t be the first of Lee’s girlfriends to be jealous of our close friendship, and I can’t really blame her if that’s the case.

But that can’t be it either. Every time someone has complained about our friendship in the past, Lee’s shut them down immediately. He wouldn’t accept it from her. And to be perfectly honest, Debora has always been friendly and nice whenever we’ve met and not shown any indication of being jealous.

And I’m back to thinking he must have figured out how I feel about him, even though it seems highly unlikely. I mean, I haven’t told him specifically—or written my feelings down on a sign—but whatever it is, I hope it won’t come between us.

I can live without having Lee Conway as my life partner, but I can’t live without his friendship. Losing it would kill me.

In the end, I decide to give him time, and live with his ire if it turns out he overslept—yeah, right!—and I neglected to wake him. I shove my feet into my shoes and head out on my own.

Running alone is weird. Lee is the whole reason I’m a runner at all; when he decided he wanted to become a professional football player when he was ten, he told me he needed to start taking his “fitness routine” seriously and he was going to start running every morning. When I made a disgusted face over the thought of getting out of bed in the buttcrack of dawn to go out and run of all things—wake me up and take me to the library and I would have been game, but running?—he zeroed in on me and started lecturing me on how even science geeks needed to stay healthy. He went on and on—and quoted me honest-to-god, real, actual facts!—until I broke down and agreed to come along. I’ve never been one to resist science. Or Lee. And the combination was deadly even when I was ten.




 



Nell Iris is a romantic at heart who believes everyone deserves a happy ending. She’s a bona fide bookworm (learned to read long before she started school), wouldn’t dream of going anywhere without something to read (not even the ladies room), loves music (and singing along at the top of her voice but she’s no Celine Dion), and is a real Star Trek nerd (Make it so). She loves words, bullet journals, poetry, wine, coffee-flavored kisses, and fika (a Swedish cultural thing involving coffee and pastry!)

Nell believes passionately in equality for all regardless of race, gender or sexuality, and wants to make the world a better, less hateful, place.

Nell is a bisexual Swedish woman married to the love of her life, a proud mama of a grown daughter, and is approaching 50 faster than she’d like. She lives in the south of Sweden where she spends her days thinking up stories about people falling in love. After dreaming about being a writer for most of her life, she finally was in a place where she could pursue her dream and released her first book in 2017.

Nell Iris writes gay romance, prefers sweet over angsty, short over long, and quirky characters over alpha males. 

   
   


Author Links



 




Giveaway 

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for a chance to win

one of five copies of your ebook choice from Nell's backlist








 

Friday, May 29, 2020

Hazardous Things (Star Shadow #3) by Beth Bolden



Amazon Link - Available in KU
Goodreads Link





Felix Humphries can’t even remember the first time he crushed on Star Shadow’s drummer, Max McCloud.

It’s been an embarrassingly long time, but he’s still never acted on his feelings. One, because Max is his older brother’s best friend. Two, because Max is also his friend. Three, Max is technically his boss. And four, worst of all, Max is straight.

But when Max unexpectedly needs a caretaker for a few weeks, Felix can’t leave his friend in the lurch. He’s all ready to suffer through being so close but not close enough, when the unexpected happens.

Max isn’t straight after all, and what Max wants is Felix—but only in his bed, not in his heart.

Hazardous Things is the third book in the Star Shadow series and should not be read as a standalone.





My Rating - 5 Stars!


Hazardous Things, the third book in Beth Bolden's Star Shadow series, is a wonderful friends to lovers book. 

This is the story of Max and Felix. I am excited to finally get their story and it certainly doesn't disappoint. It's a story of secret crushes and a story of an evolving relationship. Their story is one of confusion and doubts. A mix of forced proximity and slow burn, it's a frustrating journey for these two men to admit their feelings. 

I love friends to lovers stories, and this one is certainly wonderful. There are plenty of emotions throughout, as Felix struggles with telling his best friend he loves him and risking his most important relationship.

The author brings out all the emotions in this story of taking chances and laying your heart on the line. The characters are well developed, and their storyline well done. 

If you enjoy friends to lovers, be sure to check out Hazardous Things. Beth Bolden's third book in the Star Shadow series is a fun tale of one's crush and best friend not being so straight after all.




REVIEW TOUR -MF - Mean Crush (Unbroken: Mending the Hearts of Alpha Bad Boys #1) by KL Bryce




Title: Mean Crush
Series: Unbroken: Mending the hearts of alpha bad boys Book 1
Author: K.L. Bryce
Genre: New Adult/Contemporary Romance
Release Date: April 9, 2020





★★★★★ "Couldn’t put it down!!! I’ve read 50 books so far this year and this one is definitely a favorite!" - Amazon Review
★★★★★ "You gotta love the ultra protective alpha nature of Reed." - Goodreads Review






Reed freaking Walker.
My best friend’s gorgeous older brother.
My former mean crush.
A man I swore to loathe for all of eternity is back.
And now I’m stuck with him at a secluded cabin…alone!

It's fine. I can handle this.
He will not ruin my plans to win back my ex.
Mark is safe, predictable, and reliable… everything Reed isn’t.
I don’t care if Reed gives me that hot guy side smile or those intense midnight blue stares that melt me in places he doesn’t belong.
This time, I refuse to cave into him like a starry-eyed teenager in love.
But Reed seems to have other plans:
to take back what he thinks belongs to him…ME.

MEAN CRUSH is the first installment of K. L. Bryce's hot new Unbroken series. An uputdownable New Adult first love romance with LOL moments, passion and angst, and all the feels. Can be read as a standalone.





_______________________________________________________________________________



My Rating - 4.5 Stars!


KL Bryce's Mean Crush, the first book in the Unbroken: Mending the Hearts of Alpha Bad Boys series, is a good best friend's brother romance. 

This book follows Tabitha and Reed through the years, from when she was a young girl who declared her desire for him to be her first, to the long awaited happy ending after.

This is my favorite trope, and the characters here are captivating. Their journey is full of longing and love, as well as lies and pain. Their emotions are front and center, easily felt by the reader. 

The middle years are jumped over, but it works, and we don't miss anything. As this story is all about Tabitha and Reed, they are all we really need. 

Mean Crush is an enjoyable best friend's brother romance. With all the feels, this KL Bryce book will leave you satisfied. 



_________________________________________________________________________________






HOSTED BY:

BLOG TOUR, EXCERPT & REVIEW - Dancing With Daddy by Susan Hawke


1

Blog Tour & Excerpt:

Dancing with Daddy by Susan Hawke

Dancing With Daddy Cover





 
I love my daughter, but finding out she wasn’t biologically mine is the best news ever.

I’m a widower who is too scared to have the stupid test that would tell me whether or not I even have the gene that would mean dealing with a horrible illness and certain death. A gene that could’ve also been passed to my child, had she been mine.

She’ll need her father, if something ever does happen to me…That’s why I search for Maddie’s biological father, and when I find him, ask him to become part of her life.

What I didn’t expect is for him to become my best friend. Shane is fun and easygoing, the exact opposite of me. He makes me laugh. He’s the perfect antidote for my neurotic existence. And he’s bi, like me.

But am I courageous enough to take the leap into falling in love with him?

Dancing with Daddy is a super sweet, full-length, standalone, feel good mm romance. There’s no angst, just two very opposite men who befriend each other super fast then slowly find their way to love…all while parenting the precocious five-year-old who belongs to both of them.


Amazon Link - Available in KU    *     Universal Link   


Audio coming soon. Narrated by Michael Dean


2

______________________________________________________________________



My Rating - 4 Stars!


Dancing With Daddy is an beautiful book by Susan Hawke. 

This is a story with a single dad, an adorable child, and her newly discovered biological dad. In a nice twist, this is an low angst story, despite a subject matter that could be high angst. 

Every moment of this book is precious. This is the tale of two men who meet under some confusing circumstances. From there, they become quick friends, and eventually more. 

It's a feel good read, full of hope and sweetness. 

The author excels in writing cute kids. Maddie is adorable and completely loveable. And of course, her dad are fantastic fathers to her. 

Dancing With Daddy is a must read when you're in the mood for low-angst, sweet and tender love story. Susan Hawke will not leave you disappointed. Every moment of this book is pleasant and happy. 

 

  3 

____________________________________________________________________________

 


Bradley

"Can I be done now, Daddy? My tummy hurts." Maddie pouted adorably, giving me her best puppy dog eyes.
I fought back the instant panic that came whenever my baby was sick, reminding myself that things weren't always as they seemed. For instance, Maddie wasn't exactly a fan of oatmeal. Sure, she'd eat it. 
Reluctantly and with a healthy dose of cinnamon and brown sugar. 
Feeling calmer, I set my empty bowl aside and studied her thoughtfully. "Would your tummy still hurt if I'd made pancakes?" 
"The tiny little circle ones or the big kind you make on special days?" 
I fought the urge to laugh. The little stinker was obviously not feeling as badly as she'd have me think. "Either one; they both taste just as good." 
She nodded as solemnly as a five-and-a-half-year-old could pull off. "I think my tummy could eat the little ones. We could try it, I guess?" She shrugged, as if willing to make the sacrifice. 
"How about we save those for Saturday? Today is Thursday and you have school in half an hour. Now finish your oatmeal, it's brain food." 
Maddie obediently took a spoonful and wrinkled her nose with a distrustful look at the offending food before taking the bite. As soon as she'd swallowed, she clutched her stomach and winced. "My tummy doesn't like brain food today, Daddy." 
I bit my lip, wondering if maybe she wasn't faking it. Leaning over, I rested the back of my hand against her forehead. "You don't have a temperature, pipsqueak. I think the problem is you let your food get cold and now you don't like it." 
She glowered and pouted, only making a small “hmph” noise as she ate another spoonful. I couldn't handle how cute she was, but then I never could resist my daughter. I lowered my hand to her ribs and lightly tickled her. When Maddie squirmed away from my touch with a shrieking giggle, I figured she was okay. 
I waited until she took three more excruciatingly slow bites before deciding she'd had enough. "Okay, I think you’ve eaten enough to fuel your brain. Go wash your hands and brush your teeth. I'll be in to check as soon as I get our dishes rinsed." 
Maddie shoved her bowl toward me with both hands, her face lighting up with relief. "Thank you, Daddy. I know, you don’t have to say it… hurry so we don't be late but make sure I brush good." 
Amused by how she’d parroted what I must say a bit too often, I chuckled and caught her around the waist when she stood to rush off, pulling her back against my side while I kissed the top of her head. "You're a good girl, pipsqueak. Thank you for minding." 
She tilted her head back to see me, smiling at me upside down. "I tried to be good, Daddy. But my tummy didn't like our breakfast today." 
I kissed her forehead then released her, giving her bottom a playful swat as I sent her off. "I hear you, loud and clear. Tomorrow is Friday; maybe we'll celebrate the end of our week with Raisin Bran. Now go wash up before it gets much later." 
"Okay. Love you!" Maddie took off running around the corner, her long brown hair fluttering behind her.
"Love you too, pipsqueak." I laughed under my breath while I cleared the table and straightened the kitchen.

5






About Susan:

As an avid reader and big romance fan myself, I love sharing the stories of the different people who live in my imagination. My stories are filled with humor, a few tears, and the underlying message to not give up hope, even in the darkest of times, because life can change on a dime when you least expect it. This theme comes from a lifetime of lessons learned on my own hard journey through the pains of poverty, the loss of more loved ones than I'd care to count, and the struggles of living through chronic illnesses. Life can be hard, but it can also be good! Through it all I've found that love, laughter, and family can make all the difference, and that's what I try to bring to every tale I tell.

I'm a happily married mom with one snarky teenage boy, and three grown "kids of my heart." I'm more widely known for my mpreg writings as Susi Hawke; this new name is a departure from that. Whether written by Susan or Susi, the books are filled with that all-important love, laughter, and family I mentioned; the only difference is that this name has no male pregnancy. I look forward to sharing my stories with you, and to bringing more romance and laughter into this world that needs it so very badly.

Connect with Susan:


Susan Hawke Logo


Copy of Untitled(2)


Nachos & Hash (Mary's Boys #1) by Brandon Witt



Amazon Link - Available in KU
Goodreads Link





Darwin Michaels is living his dreams in the Mile High City. While Denver offers the perfect job, scrumptious dining, and whirlwind dating options, Darwin is losing hope he'll find love-until he sets eyes on Cody Russell.

Cody has just accomplished his life's goal-get the hell out of Kansas. In one fell swoop, he lands a job at Hamburger Mary's and gets a newfound family. All that's missing is someone special. But when Darwin shows his interest, Cody is sure it's too good to be true. After all, what can Darwin possibly see in the high school dropout serving him nachos?

As Darwin falls in love, Cody struggles to realize his worth. When his past threatens the fragile life he is building, Cody spirals into a moment of dark desperation. But Darwin is determined to show Cody that love and family and home are there for him... if Cody can accept what is offered.




My Rating - 4 Stars!


Nachos & Hash is a tender tale by Brandon Witt. The first book in the Mary's Boys series, it is a nice read. 

It took me a long time to get invested in these characters, but once I did, I found it to be a beautiful story. With a cute start, it definitely turned deep and emotional.

A hurt/comfort tale, Darwin and Cody are two men who find solace in the life at St Mary's, as well as each other. These are two small town boys who find people like them in the city. Their backstories are definitely interesting and easily leave them with a strong connection.

Things happen quickly for these boys, in a sweet manner. And then...

This is a story that includes homophobia, and it's long lasting effects on self-worth. Cody's family is vile, and the effects are heart-breaking. 

I love the people at St Mary's and the support they show for one another. I look forward to reading more about these characters.

Nachos & Hash is an impressive short read. With just 104 pages, Brandon Witt packs a lot of sweetness, as well as realness, into this romance.  


Thursday, May 28, 2020

Crazy Little Fling (Love & Luck #3) by Isla Olsen








Jamie

It’s not exactly what I’d call the ideal situation—being introduced to your bio-dad’s best mate only to realize he’s the sexy older guy you hooked up with a couple of weeks ago—but it’s also not the worst thing to ever happen in history. The way I see it, this is fate. The universe is throwing Shay Kelly in my path again because it knows how much I’ve been dying for another shag with him.

I have four weeks before I need to go back to London, and I know exactly how I’d like to spend that time. And fortunately for me, Shay’s just as keen for a repeat or ten as I am.

All we need is a few ground rules to keep this little fling in check…

Rule One: It’s temporary

Makes sense—neither of us do the long-term bit. And it’s not like we can continue with this once I move back to London.

Rule Two: No dates, just sex

Easy peasy—sex is the best part of dating anyway.

Rule Three: We keep it between us

Perfect—sneaking around and concocting elaborate lies is a right turn on.

Rule Four: No falling in love

Love? Me? In four weeks? There’s a better chance of me inventing the solution to climate change.

Warning: this book is not appropriate for anyone who doesn’t like laughing, anyone who doesn’t like British slang, and anyone who doesn’t like smokin’ hot older guys and sexy red-haired twinks having lots of sex and trying not to fall in love.

*Happily Ever After included






My Rating - 4.5  Stars!


Isla Olsen's Crazy Little Fling, the third book in the Love & Luck series is a great May to December romance. From the start, with a hot hookup, I knew where this story was going. But who cares? I love it!!

Yes, it starts with a fun and playful hookup. It happens to be one of those hookup where the two men can't stop thinking about each other afterwards. 

All in all, this is a hook up between a young man, Jamie and the best friend of his long lost father. Messy? Possibly. 

This is a fast paced story, with a big, loud, crazy group of characters. There's a lot going on with tons of characters and not a lot of detail. It's a little too much to follow at times, but it's worth it. 

Adding to the fun, the two men live on different continents, thus they are planning on just sex, and nothing more. And then the feelings get involved. 

The author gifts us with plenty of humor, especially hysterical and family texts. The whole story is written in a fun and flirty manner. And I love it all. The writing style is wonderful, everything flows perfectly, and the dialogue is great. 

Crazy Little Fling is sweet and fluffy! And in the end, this Isla Olsen book is adorable. I love books like this, and continue to love this series.



The Only Way to Dream (The Mechanics of Love #3) by M.A. Innes




Amazon Link - Available in KU





Flirting with two fascinating men is fun for Destin, but he has to pick just one of the sweet guys if he wants to open up and share his secrets, doesn’t he?

Growing up in a unique environment hasn’t prepared Destin for college or the real world. Luckily, he knows how to throw himself into a project, whether it’s about learning to live in the dorms or the wonderful world of BDSM.

But it isn’t until he realizes that he might not have to choose between the sexy cop and the mechanic with the wicked smile that he realizes how much he still has to learn.

Avery and Ray have been flirting with the mysterious and mischievous Destin for weeks, but it isn’t until he starts to open up that they realize there’s more to the loveable flirt than meets the eye. But when getting to know Destin means dating each other as well, they start to realize how much is riding on their new relationship…everything.


74k words

Story Contains: M/M/m romantic content, age play (no ABDL), puppy play, spankings, an excitable sub who throws himself into every situation, a mechanic with a terrible sense of humor, and a cop who thinks they’re both uniquely perfect.




My Rating - 4 Stars!


The Only Way to Dream is a fun menage romance. The third book in The Mechanics of Love series, it is sure to delight all of MA Innes' fans.

Destin is interested in exploring BDSM, a whole big world of which he knows nothing about. He's a college student who grew up in a religious cult and is now interested in exploring his sexual desires. 

Upon meeting Ray and Avery, Destin takes an interest in both men. What follows is a fun development, as Destin learns that three can be together. 

Their story is a menage romance, with puppy play and an age gap. They are all wonderful together, in this fun, sweet, and easy going tale. Their combined dynamic kept me intrigued throughout. And the way Destin approaches Ray and Avery is wonderful.

As usual, I love the author's writing style. The characters are interesting, and the relationship development is entertaining. The book is charming with some light kink, and some tender emotions. 

The Only Way to Dream is a menage romance that is full of humor and heat. MA Innes entertains with this angst free romance. 





Season's Change (Trade Season #1) by Cait Nary

  Amazon Link    Goodreads Link A veteran hockey player and a rookie can't get away from each other—or their own desires—in this sexy, h...