Storm Bound (Cedarwood Beach #4) by Rhys Everly

 

Amazon Link   - Available in KU 

Goodreads Link

Handsome, nerdy… oh, and he’s also my boss!

When I took the job, I had no idea I’d be working with my dream man.

He’s obsessed with my favorite TV show.
He’s kind and gentle.
And he’s also submissive.

My perfect match, in every way.

But after one too many heartbreaks, I don’t cross the line between colleague and lover.

That is until the perfect storm hits the shores of my small town.

Then, all hell breaks loose.

Is he my happily-ever-after?

Or a heartbreak in the making?

Storm Bound is the fourth book in the Cedarwood Beach small town gay romance series and is completely standalone. It contains two geeks, a D/s dynamic, a hurricane, and Greek Yaya determined to get her grandson married.

My Rating - 3.5 Stars!

Storm Bound is the fourth book in the Cedarwood Beach series by Rhys Everly. 

This romance has a meeting that seems set in the stars. With a storm that pops up at an inconvenient time and an awkward boss/employee situation, there's plenty to enjoy about this story. 

I enjoy the way Charlie senses Adam's need to submit. I love the way he immediately steps in to help calm him. 

This tale includes a health issue that has caused a lot of insecurities over the years. I enjoy the writing style, but something about the storyline didn't have me loving this story. I was definitely distracted by some small details, and taken out of the story at times. 

Storm Bound is a good small town romance. There's lots to enjoy in this Rhys Everly read. I am glad I read it even if I didn't love it all.

RELEASE BLITZ, EXCERPT, GIVEAWAY & REVIEW - Flowers Under My Pillow by Nell Iris

 

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: Flowers Under My Pillow

Author: Nell Iris

Publisher: JMS Books

Cover Artist: Written Ink Designs

Release Date: June 26, 2021

Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance

Trope: Soul mates

Themes: Older characters (40+), instant connection, meet cute 

Heat Rating: 3 flames

Length:  17 477 words

It is a standalone story

Goodreads

Buy Links 

JMS Books  |  Universal Link 

Amazon US  |  Amazon UK

Smiling brown eyes. A dark beard. Dandelions. Sunny, happy dandelions.

Smiling brown eyes. A dark beard. Dandelions. Sunny, happy dandelions.

For thirty years, Frode’s had the same dream. Every Midsummer’s Eve since he was a kid accompanying his sister to pick flowers to put under his pillow, he’s dreamed of the same man. A dream he never shares with anyone, that makes him wish for impossible things…like true love.

“It’s you.”

Then one Midsummer’s Eve, the man of Frode’s dreams stands before him in the flesh. Both men recognize each other despite never having met in real life. Both men are instantly drawn to each other and want to know more.

“Who are you, Viljar? Are you even real?”

Their questions are many but do the whys and the hows matter? Or should they allow the Midsummer magic that brought them together to lead the way into each other’s arms? Into each other’s hearts?

Traditional Swedish folklore tells you that if you pick seven kinds of flowers in silence and put them under your pillow on Midsummer’s Eve, you’ll dream of the man you’ll marry.

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My Rating - 4 Stars!

Flowers Under My Pillow is a sweet and magical short story of true love by Nell Iris.

Frode's been holding out for true love. He'd rather be alone than settle for someone. Like every MidSummer's Eve, he places his flowers under his pillow, hoping for his own true love. 

Once again, I am impressed this the author's ability to write a short story that feels complete and is able to bring the reader fully into the emotions.  

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When I look around to take in my surroundings, I realize my feet have carried me to the cottage without me noticing, and something catches my attention on the lawn on the other side of the fence.

A closer look reveals a tripod with a big, professional-looking camera attached on top. And underneath it, a man lies on his back, surrounded by a starry sky of tiny white flowers growing low in the grass. I don’t want to disturb him and I’m just about to sneak away when he turns his head toward me. 

Warm brown eyes, with crow’s feet radiating out from the corners, meet mine. But it’s his full beard, scattered with dandelions, that makes my heart tumble over itself in my chest. 

Smiling eyes. A full beard. Dandelions. 

Dandelions. 

My hand flies to my chest as I forget how to breathe. 

It’s him.

****

The man’s eyes widen, then he springs to his feet, banging his knee into the tripod almost making it topple over, but his arm shoots out, his big hand landing on the camera, stopping it from crashing down onto the grass.

“It’s you,” he says, his voice a deep rumble emanating from the pit of his stomach, vibrating its way to me, settling in my core.

It’s you. 

What does he mean? Does he recognize me, too? 

“It’s you,” he says again as he takes a few hesitant steps in my direction. His eyes never leave my face. 

“It’s you,” I echo, brows furrowed. 

The improbability of it all, of my recurring dream materializing and standing in front of me, makes me take a step backward. He leaps forward, dislodging a couple of the dandelions from his beard by the sudden movement, and I watch them sail to the ground. 

When I look up at him again, it’s as though I’m zooming out of my body and look at the two of us from a distance. Two men, separated by a white picket fence, staring at each other as though they’ve seen a ghost, as though they both think they must be hallucinating. His features are so familiar; I know every line radiating from the corner of his eyes, every strand of his beard. I know all the nuances of brown in his dark eyes; as though someone swirled chocolate into a deep well of coffee and then sprinkled some gold into the mix to make it irresistible. I know the sensitive setting of his mouth. I know the intense gaze.

It makes me dizzy, and I stumble but manage to keep myself upright. I take another wobbly step backward.

“Don’t go,” he says. “Please.” He stops but holds out his hand as though he wants to touch me to make sure I’m real. 

The feeling is mutual. How is this even possible? How can the man I’ve dreamed about every Midsummer these last thirty years be right here a few steps from me? As though I’ve dreamed him into existence. 

I drag my gaze away from his face and take in the rest of him. He’s tall and broad-shouldered, his biceps are straining the short sleeves of his button-down shirt. He’s got a rounded belly and meaty thighs filling out his faded jeans, and his big wide feet are bare in the grass. 

Heat stirs between my hips. God, he’s not only the literal man of my dreams, but he’s hot as sin, too. When I force myself to look away from his body, our gazes meet. 

“You recognize me, too,” he says, eyes pleading. “I can tell from your reaction.”

I dip my chin once. “I do.”

My heart flutters in my chest like the wings of a colibri. Another dandelion falls from his beard and my gaze follows it down as it lands softly on the ground. 

My mind spins with questions and it’s making me dizzy again. How can the man from my dreams stand before me in the flesh? A living, breathing human being? A living breathing human being who recognizes me too?  

When our eyes meet again, I read the same confusion in him. 

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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

Blog/Website  |  Facebook Author Page  |  Facebook Profile

Twitter  |   Instagram   |  Goodreads

Pinterest  |  BookBub  |  Newsletter

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Giveaway

Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for a chance to win

one of three ebook copies from Nell's backlist

a Rafflecopter giveaway

______________________________________________________________

Hosted by Gay Book Promotions

 

Release Blitz, Excerpt & Giveaway:
Bennet, Pride Before The Fall
By Anyta Sunday

Love, Austen (Book 3)

“I want someone to want me for who I am. No changing my appearance or philosophies or principles. I need a partner to be proud of me—in public and beyond—and proud of themselves.”

“Think you’ll find it?”

~ ~ ~

Bennet had always dreamed of love. Of finding his Mr. Right.

Hell, he’d even settle for Mr. Righteous.

Who he won’t fall for, not ever? Mr. Downright Pride-less.

~ ~ ~

It’s Pride and Prejudice, complete with scumbaggery, anguished declaration of desire, meddling villagers, Karaoke, Scrabble, and Pride.

Universal Link

Goodreads

 

RELEASE BLITZ, EXCERPT & REVIEW - MF - Heartwood (Speakeasy Taproom #2) by J.H. Croix

HEARTWOOD BY J.H.CROIX

Release Date: June 29, 2021

Amazon: https://geni.us/AmazonHeartwood

Apple: https://geni.us/AppleHeartwood

Kobo: https://geni.us/KoboHeartwood

Nook: https://geni.us/NookHeartwood

Google: https://geni.us/GoogleHeartwood

Audio → https://geni.us/AudibleHeartwood

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/36wWkPu

Series Page → https://hearteyespress.com/wotn#/speakeasy-taproom/

Cover Design: Elle Maxwell Designs

She needs a fresh start. He wants a second chance…

My new job as a chef in a small town was supposed to be my ticket to peace and quiet. I didn’t expect to run into the former hockey star who gave me the hottest nights of my life. And, oops, he’s sort-of my new boss. So much for keeping my past where it belongs.

Ty still thinks I’m the fun party girl. He has no idea how much things have changed. One thing that hasn’t changed: the spark between us. It’s hotter than the blowtorch I use on my crème brûlée. 

I’m already keeping secrets, so what’s one more? Our tryst is forbidden, it’s fun, and it gets complicated as fast as you can say “check, please.” I didn’t expect to have a future with Ty. And I definitely didn’t expect to have a baby with him.

Some falls are harder than others. But it depends on who’s there to catch you...

My Rating - 4 Stars!

Heartwood is the second book in the Speakeasy Taproom series. This is JH Croix's contribution to this multi-author series. 

This one starts with a serious breakdown. Poor Belle. When she moves to the small town to recover, she's reunited with her former college hookup, Ty. 

What follows is a second chance for them to get to know each other. Already complete opposites, both have changed a lot and they spend some time confessing their issues and exploring who they each are now. 

I enjoy everything about this couple and their story. They never actually dated, but they clearly fall into the second chance category. I enjoy the way both have drastically changed over the years, yet they still connect well and have amazing chemistry. Apparently, not everything changed. 

This is a story of forgiveness and understanding. It has family issues, including a disabled sister and a controlling father. Ty's sister and parents are a big part of the story. She's disabled and truly a breath of fresh air. 

Their story is a fabulous reminder that everyone has their issues to deal with. Everyone has things in their pasts that they're ashamed of. And everyone has the ability to move forward. Love it.

This story addresses the issues of mental health with knowledge, care, and compassion. The Bipolar aspect is fabulously explored, reiterating that it isn't a life sentence or the end of the world. As well, you can't blame someone for what they do when manic. I am seriously impressed with the way this is written.

It's written in alternating first person pov, easily pulling the reader into the story. Everything flows well and is easy to read. 

Heartwood is a great addition to this small town series. JH Croix does a wonderful job addressing some serious issues without ever feeling too serious. 

Belle’s wide brown eyes held mine, and I wanted to lean over and kiss the freckles on her cheeks. Uncertainty flickered in her gaze, but it passed quickly. She surprised me by lifting her hand and smoothing a fingertip over one of my eyebrows. Her lips curled in a small smile as her hand fell to rest on my chest. “It was messy,” she explained.

“My eyebrow?”

She nodded, blinking as her cheeks went a little pink.

“Well, thank you then,” I offered somberly.

She bit her lip and laughed. I took the moment to let my eyes absorb the sight of her. With her flushed skin, her bright eyes, and her swollen lips, she was disarmingly delectable. Hell, I could’ve gone another round right then. I hadn’t been living as a monk, but I also hadn’t exactly found much time of late for women, much less women who got to me the way Belle did. 

If I was being honest with myself, no woman got to me like Belle. She was singular in her ability to set me on fire. We were just that good together. It was easy and fucking hot.

Just then, I noticed she was still wearing her skirt. I chuckled, and she asked, “What’s so funny?”

“We never got your skirt off.”

She grinned, and a sly look entered her eyes. “Maybe not, but at least I got my panties and boots off.”

I laughed, and she traced circles on my chest with a fingertip. I lifted a palm, needing to touch her. I smoothed it over the sweet curve of her shoulder, my eyes landing on the tattoo at the top of her shoulder blade. With her angled toward me, it was just visible. “This is new.” It was a heart, drawn as if carved into wood, the lines of the grain etched in varying subtle shades of brown and gold. “It’s beautiful,” I added.

“How do you know it’s new?” Her big brown eyes lifted to mine, a saucy hint contained there.

“Because I would remember if you had it before. I didn’t forget anything about you.” The moment I said that, my heart gave a tricky kick. Belle had this way of sliding right through my defenses. I revealed perhaps too much with that comment.

She blinked as a wash of pink bloomed on her cheeks. She swallowed, her lashes sweeping down again. “I didn’t have it before. My father’s a woodcarver in his spare time. I always loved watching him on the weekends when I was little.” Her lashes lifted again, vulnerability flickering in her gaze for a flash. “It’s to represent heartwood. That’s the densest and strongest part of the tree.”

  I absorbed that as I traced the edges of the heart with my fingertip. “It’s beautiful,” I repeated. 

Quiet spun out between us. She dipped her head, nipping lightly on my shoulder. I shifted closer and laid another kiss on her, for no other reason than that I loved kissing Belle. She had a sassy tongue, and she never hesitated to throw herself into kisses.

When I drew back, she asked, “Is this when I find a way to gracefully depart?”

“Hell, no. I’ve got you for the whole night.”

Her throaty laugh rang out, and I pulled her on top of me, kissing her again because I wanted her, and I wanted to dive into her fire. I wasn’t so sure I wanted to think too hard about just how fiercely I wanted her to stay.

How to Catch a Vet (Chester Falls #6) by Ana Ashley

 

Amazon Link - Available in KU
Goodreads Link

The first thing I learned at Vet school was to always expect the unexpected.
Well, I sure never saw Santiago Torres or his adorable Great Dane coming.

Santi is everything I’m not. Tall, confident, overbearing, and if I’m to believe his advances, he’s also very experienced in...well, you know what.

I always play safe, but it’s time to ditch the v-card. We couldn’t be more different, but that doesn’t matter because this is just a one time thing.

I’m not going to want more, right?
I’m not going to fall for him, right?

How to Catch a Vet is the sixth book in the Chester Falls series and features an opposites attract story between a virgin and a player, a Great Dane with a tendency to rescue- read kidnap- other people’s pets, and a small town like no other.

My Rating - 4.5 Stars!

How to Catch a Vet is the sixth book in Ana Ashley's Chester Falls series. It's a great addition to this small town world. 

This story is one of a vet and a veteran. And there's a lot going on.

Santi is home after leaving the service. And unfortunately, he's losing his eyesight. Oh man, this element had me wanting to hug him tight. My heart breaks for him throughout, despite his ability to handle it well. 

Micah's a veterinarian who's struggling to keep his business going. Course he has a former bully who's set on making his life difficult, which doesn't help. 

Their story is one with a lot of self doubts. Santi doesn't feel worthy of love as he's losing his sight, while Micah feels unworthy of love as he struggles with his weight. 

Their story includes first times and plenty of heat. 

And then there are the animals. Omg, I absolutely love these animals and the constant new additions to the crew. Honestly, this aspect alone makes this worth the read. 

With an overall theme exploring that the past doesn't define us, I am impressed with the way the author illustrates this. This story is compelling and emotional throughout.

How to Catch a Vet is a sweet romance. Ana Ashley kept me entertained and delighted throughout this heartwarming tale.

PRE-ORDER NOW - Role Model (Game Changers #5) by Rachel Reid

 

Amazon Link  

Goodreads Link

Troy Barrett has been freshly traded to Ottawa after calling out Dallas Kent during a team practice. He wants to be a better person, and the weird, scrappy energy of the struggling Ottawa team seems like the place to...well. It seems like the only place that will have Troy right now.

Fortunately the Ottawa team includes Ilya Rozanov and Wyatt Hayes, and also includes an adorable social media manager, Harris Drover. Harris is the opposite of Troy in every way: friendly, cheerful, chatty, and goofy with a booming voice, a startlingly loud laugh, and Pride pins all over his denim jacket. Definitely not the sort of person Troy would normally associate with, and yet…

My Rating - 4.5 Stars!

Role Model is a fabulous hockey romance. The fifth book in Rachel Reid's Game Changers series, it's a great addition to this hockey world. 

Troy's world is a mess when he's traded to a new team. It's not easy to be accepted, due to some complications. As he finally tried to do the right thing, he's left with a bad reputation as a trouble maker. 

Enter Harris, the team's social media manger. 

I love the night and day difference between the two. And even more, I love the way the openly gay Harris is accepted by the team, and the way that Troy notices this. 

This story is wonderful, with a slowly growing relationship between the two. The two men are great together, and I love the way everything evolves for the two. 

I appreciate Troy's struggle with his sexuality and coming out. It's never an easy road in the hockey world, and the author does a great job once again illustrating this. 

The redemption theme is a ever looming theme in this tale, as Troy works hard to change his imagine and redeem himself among the players and the fans. It's not an easy ride, but I enjoy the way it ends up. 

And in the end, the theme of sexual abuse is a constant, as Troy is trying to bring light to the issue. It caused him major issues with his ex best friend, his former team, and the league itself. It's the classic let's not believe the women scenario. I found this all to be well written. 

Role Model is a wonderful addition to this series. Rachel Reid left me riveted throughout. I love this series and I love this book. 

When I See You Again by Daryl Banner

 

Amazon Link - Available in KU
Goodreads Link

They were enemies as children. They fell in love as teenagers.
They had no idea the storm that awaited them as adults.

With each chapter taking place five years later, this heart-tugging novel will take you on an emotional journey through the lives of two men - who couldn't be more wrong for each other.

Caleb Fletcher was a shy and lonely kid who desperately wanted a friend.
He never dreamed that friend would come in the form of the troublemaking Beau Whitman, who was the neighborhood nightmare on the other side of the fence.

Their friends hated each other.
Their families kept them apart.
But Caleb refused to believe that Beau was a bad person. He knew deep down, the troubled kid was lost and hurting inside.

It would be that same belief Caleb carried with him into teenhood, when emotions grew more complicated, and the fine line between good and bad blurred.

It would be his hope that drove him through his college years, when the consequences of their pasts would catch up to them.

It would be their love that was tested into adulthood, when their lives were on the brink of achieving everlasting happiness — or falling to pieces.

Can Beau and Caleb's love withstand the test of time?

“When I See You Again” is a stand-alone novel. It contains potentially sensitive or triggering subject matter. Reader discretion is advised. (Full disclaimer is located in the Foreword.) 

My Rating - 5 Stars!

When I See You Again is a unique, touching, and beautiful romance by Daryl Banner. 

This is a story many, many years in the making. 70 years to be exact. This unique tale is told in small glimpses of their lives, catching up with them briefly throughout the years. 

Caleb and Beau meet when they're little kids. Things aren't easy for the two, as Caleb longs to be Beau's friend, but Beau fights it. 

I have to admit that the early part was tough for me. I felt something was missing. I felt I wasn't connecting enough with the characters. But then...

Wow, later it's pure brilliance and wonderful. The story truly fast forwards the way it seems to when you're older. Looking back at how the big things at the time felt they'd last forever, yet later knowing they were a small blip in time. 

Seeing the way people come and go. Seeing the way people and relationships change over time. Seeing the way people change and relationships can be healed. 

This is a story of falling for someone despite everyone rooting against you. Falling for "the one" early on and never getting over them. The ups and the downs of their relationship. The ups and downs of their lives. And ultimately the power of love. 

This is a story of rising up above one's circumstances. We're all given a set of circumstances we didn't ask for in life...The world isn't built fair for all of us..." I love this element.

This is a story illustrating the power alcoholism and the struggle involved. The power it has to destroy and the power of reclaiming one's life upon recovery. As well as the continued struggle to stay sober. "Every day is a battle - a battle we've got to win. Our loved ones are depending on it."

There are family issues throughout. It's definitely one hell of a ride, with both good and bad.

This is a story full of pain and hurt, full of love and strength, full of healing and forgiveness. It's a wonderful glimpse at lives well lived. 

This quote really stuck with me. "There's a reason not everyone sticks around in life. It's like sifting dirt for gold; eventually, the only ones who matter are the ones who stick around." As an almost fifty year old, this is easy to relate to. But, as a mom to teens, this is one of the lessons I am constantly trying to explain to my kids.

When I See You Again is a beautiful story. Daryl Banner brilliantly uses a lifetime of two men to show the power of love and the way life changes us constantly. I am truly impressed by this book and it's message.