GRL 2019 AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT - Knitting a Broken Heart Back Together by Ari McKay

In my attempt to cover some of the attending authors for this year's GRL,
I am reviewing 

Ari McKay's 
Knitting a Broken Heart Back Together!

Amazon Link

Goodreads Link

BLURB

When a Christmas shopping expedition brings Tomy Peralta into Jason Winters’ yarn store, both men feel an immediate and intense spark of attraction, but dance instructor Tomy intends to propose to his boyfriend Sean at Christmas. Unfortunately for Tomy, marriage isn’t on career-minded Sean’s agenda. Heartbroken, Tomy throws himself into his work until his mother convinces him that learning to knit might help take his mind off his failed romance.

Jason falls hard for Tomy, but he knows Tomy needs time to heal and to trust in love again. As Jason teaches Tomy how to knit, Tomy teaches him how to dance in return to prepare for his sister’s wedding. Just when it seems Tomy is ready for a new romance, Sean shows up, wanting Tomy back. Has Jason helped Tomy knit his heart together again, only for Tomy to give it to Sean once more, or will Tomy finally see Sean for what he truly is?

REVIEW

My Rating - 4 Stars!

Knitting a Broken Heart Back Together is a fun romance, which happens to begin in a yarn store.

Jason's a former football player who knits and owns a yarn store. Talk about an intriguing character. Meanwhile Tomy's a dance teacher who end up taking lessons from Jason. His heart's been broken and learning to knit soothes his soul, and well as mends his heart. 

It's beautiful the way Jason is willing to wait for Tomy, as he's taken with the dancer when they meet. The evolution of their relationship is slow and natural, which makes it even more enjoyable. I love that they each have something to offer the other. The writing's seamless, the characters compelling, and the storyline emotionally rewarding.

Knitting a Broken Heart Back Together is a sweet and tender holiday-ish romance. With just 111 pages, it's a quick read when you're looking for a feel-good read.

Ari McKay

Ari McKay is the professional pseudonym for Arionrhod and McKay, who collaborate on original m/m fiction. They began writing together in 2004 and finished their first original full length novel in 2011. Recently, they’ve begun collaborating on designing and creating costumes to wear and compete in at Sci Fi conventions, and they share a love of yarn and cake.

Arionrhod is an avid costumer, knitter, and all-around craft fiend, as well as a professional systems engineer. Mother of two human children and two dachshunds who think they are human, she is a voracious reader with wildly eclectic tastes, devouring romance novels, military science fiction, horror stories and Shakespeare with equal glee. She is currently preparing for the zombie apocalypse.

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.

Herc's Mercs (Collection Volume #3) by Ari McKay

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Cover Design: Lyrical Lines

Goodreads Link

Herc's Mercs

The Collection - Volume 1 - Amazon US | Amazon UK

The Collection - Volume 2 - Amazon US | Amazon UK 

ABOVE AND BEYOND…

No matter where in the world they have to go, the men of Hercules Security are ready to kick ass, take names, and, above all, save lives. Putting themselves in harm’s way is second nature to these men, and they’ll do whatever it takes to protect the innocent. Unfortunately the cost of such bravery is often brutally high, and sometimes the price a hero must pay isn’t always obvious…

Hunter Callahan loved his job as an explosives expert, but when a seven-year-old boy walks into camp wearing a suicide vest, the explosion that rocks Hunter’s world leaves him with wounds too deep to see with the untrained eye. Payne “Pita” Gibson is the only one who stands a chance of saving Hunter from self destruction, but doing so means Payne must share private facets of his own life. Could his unusual form of therapy not only help Hunter, but also win his heart? Pushing Hunter’s limits so hard is a test of Payne’s own strength of will -- but everyone knows that it’s No Pain, No Gain.

When Joe Morrissey returns home from a traumatic mission, he never expects to discover that his longtime partner and lover, Brian Finnegan, has fallen in love with someone else. Even though he wants Finn to be happy, Joe finds it difficult to share his lover with Drew Martin. But when fallout from Joe’s recent mission puts Finn in danger, Joe must work with Drew to save Finn’s life. With everything he holds dear at risk, Joe is pushed to the breaking point -- and Drew must step in to help put him back together. As Drew develops feelings for Joe as well, can Joe open his heart to the possibility of there being Room For One More?

Review 

My Rating - 4.5 Stars!

Ari McKay's Herc's Mercs, Collection Volume Three, is a great collection with two of Ari's books; No Pain, No Gain and Room For One More.

Book One - 5 Stars!

Book One, No Pain, No Gain, is a wonderfully deep and emotional romance. 

Hunter is lost and broken after seeing his boyfriend die in front of him. He's full of pain, hurt, and frustration, as he suffers from PTSD. He meets Payne when Payne's tasked with helping Hunter. 

From the start, I found myself engrossed. I love the writing style and I adore these guys. And the storyline is wonderful. Payne used BDSM to help Hunter with his PTSD. It's written in a way that makes sense and is believable. 

Theirs is a story of trust, as with Hunter placing his trust in Payne, he is able to survive and overcome his trauma, grief, loss, and depression.

At it's heart, this is a story of survivor's guilt and the healing process. This aspect is written with knowledge and care. I honestly love this book.

Book 2 - 4 Stars!

Room For One More, the 8th book in Ari McKay's Herc's Merc series, is the first read of this series for me. It can easily be read as a standalone, but I'm assuming it would be even better to have read the whole series.

The compelling part of this story is the development of the menage. Joe and Finn are friends with benefits with a complex relationship. Joe knows Finn is all he needs, and loves him deeply. But Finn needs more than Joe can give him, despite loving him. 

Finn's developing feelings for his hook-up Drew takes Joe by surprise, and the drama begins. The feelings of all three men are wonderfully described, pulling the reader deeply into their story.

Room For One More is a beautiful story of loving someone enough to give them what they need. It's about loving deeply and loving fiercely. This Ari McKay book is compelling, riveting, and an enjoyable read. I hope to read more of this series. 

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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RELEASE BLITZ - Herc's Mercs (The Collection #3) by Ari McKay

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Cover Design: Lyrical Lines

Herc's Mercs

The Collection - Volume 1 - Amazon US | Amazon UK

The Collection - Volume 2 - Amazon US | Amazon UK 

ABOVE AND BEYOND…


No matter where in the world they have to go, the men of Hercules Security are ready to kick ass, take names, and, above all, save lives. Putting themselves in harm’s way is second nature to these men, and they’ll do whatever it takes to protect the innocent. Unfortunately the cost of such bravery is often brutally high, and sometimes the price a hero must pay isn’t always obvious…

Hunter Callahan loved his job as an explosives expert, but when a seven-year-old boy walks into camp wearing a suicide vest, the explosion that rocks Hunter’s world leaves him with wounds too deep to see with the untrained eye. Payne “Pita” Gibson is the only one who stands a chance of saving Hunter from self destruction, but doing so means Payne must share private facets of his own life. Could his unusual form of therapy not only help Hunter, but also win his heart? Pushing Hunter’s limits so hard is a test of Payne’s own strength of will -- but everyone knows that it’s No Pain, No Gain.

When Joe Morrissey returns home from a traumatic mission, he never expects to discover that his longtime partner and lover, Brian Finnegan, has fallen in love with someone else. Even though he wants Finn to be happy, Joe finds it difficult to share his lover with Drew Martin. But when fallout from Joe’s recent mission puts Finn in danger, Joe must work with Drew to save Finn’s life. With everything he holds dear at risk, Joe is pushed to the breaking point -- and Drew must step in to help put him back together. As Drew develops feelings for Joe as well, can Joe open his heart to the possibility of there being Room For One More?

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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REVIEW TOUR - Room For One More (Herc's Mercs #8) by Ari McKay

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK 

Universal Link - Exclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow with Kindle Unlimited

Length: 80,000 words approx.

Goodreads Link

Herc's Mercs Series

The Bigger They Come (Book #1) - Universal Link

Line In The Sand (Book #2) - Universal Link

Bloody But Unbowed (Book #3) - Universal Link

Once A Hero (Book #4) - Universal Link

The Harder They Fall (Book #5) - Universal Link

Where Angels Fear To Tread (Book #6) - Universal Link

No Pain, No Gain (Book #7) - Universal Link

Blurb

Love may not be pie, but when it comes to your lover, sharing isn't the easiest thing in the world.

When Joe Morrissey returns home, heartsick and traumatized by his latest mission, the last thing he expects is to find his partner and lover, Brian Finnegan, has fallen for someone else. Even though Joe knows Finn has never been a one-man man, he has difficulty accepting Drew Martin's place in Finn's life -- and especially in his heart. But when Finn is kidnapped by criminals seeking revenge on Joe, he's forced to pair up with his rival to make sure Finn is kept safe. Joe has no choice but to face his deepest issues, not only about Drew, but also about his own past that has come back to haunt him. Doubt and pain are tearing Joe apart... Can Drew help put him back together, or does Finn risk losing both of the men he loves forever?

Trigger warnings: This book deals with PTSD and human trafficking. There are mentions of sexual and physical abuse, kidnapping, and child abuse (NOT GRAPHICALLY DEPICTED).

Review 

My Rating - 4 Stars!

Room For One More, the 8th book in Ari McKay's Herc's Merc series, is the first read of this series for me. It can easily be read as a standalone, but I'm assuming it would be even better to have read the whole series.

The compelling part of this story is the development of the menage. Joe and Finn are friends with benefits with a complex relationship. Joe knows Finn is all he needs, and loves him deeply. But Finn needs more than Joe can give him, despite loving him. 

Finn's developing feelings for his hook-up Drew takes Joe by surprise, and the drama begins. The feelings of all three men are wonderfully described, pulling the reader deeply into their story.

Room For One More is a beautiful story of loving someone enough to give them what they need. It's about loving deeply and loving fiercely. This Ari McKay book is compelling, riveting, and an enjoyable read. I hope to read more of this series. 

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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Twitter

Website

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