Amy's Romance Reviews: Café

Showing posts with label Café. Show all posts

Monday, February 3, 2020

Snowflake Kisses (Snowed In - Valentine's Inc. #6) by Jacki James

Amazon Link - Available in KU

Blurb

Silk, lace, and cupcakes. What else could he want in a man?

Frankie Taylor is a pastry chef in need of a fresh start, and Cap Roberts is a coffee shop owner in need of a pastry chef. Sounds simple enough, doesn't it?

When Devin “Cap” Roberts hired Frankie to make the pastries for his coffee shop, it was supposed to be a business arrangement. But once he discovers something that leaves him wondering what Frankie has on underneath his clothes, business is the last thing on Cap’s mind.

As a newly single father, Cap is risking not only his heart, but that of his daughter’s as well. However the more he gets to know Frankie, the more he realizes that a man like him only comes along once in a lifetime—and a love like theirs is worth taking a chance for.

Snowflake Kisses is a standalone book in the Snowed In - Valentine’s Inc. series, which are only connected by the same writing prompt.

Review

My Rating - 5 Stars!

Snowflake Kisses, Jacki James' contribution to the Snowed In - Valentine's Inc series, is a delightful small town romance.

Devin's a cafe owner who's raising his niece. The fun starts when he invites Frankie to work with him. It's superb the way this helps both men, and brings out the best in Frankie. There are fun bakery creations, with are wonderfully described, both fun and easy to envision.

My favorite character however is Annie, Devin's niece. The four year old is absolutely cute, sweet, and funny. The way she bonds with Frankie is superb and is a huge part of the story. If you enjoy kids, you'll love her. Honestly, if you enjoy kids, Jackie James excels in weaving adorable children into her stories.

As a couple, Devin and Frankie are amazing. Their connection is strong both in and out of the bedroom. But, best of all, there's lace! Oh wow, I love the lace!

The writing is great, with excellent dialogue and a quick pace. As I've come to expect from this author, she excels in the development of a fantastic group of friends, family, and small town feel. Although a predictable plot, it's still
wonderful and riveting.

Snowflake Kisses is perfect when you're looking for your next fluffy romance. Jacki James will not disapoint.

Thursday, January 30, 2020

REVIEW - Powder & Pavlova (Southern Lights #1) by Jay Hogan

Title: Powder & Pavlova

Series: Southern Lights, Book 1

Author: Jay Hogan

Genre: MM Romance

Goodreads Link

Amazon Universal

Synopsis:

ETHAN SHARPE is living every young Kiwi’s dream—seeing the world for a couple of years while deciding what to do with his life. Then he gets a call.
Two days later he’s back in New Zealand. Six months later his mother is dead, his fifteen-year-old brother is going off the rails and the café he’s inherited is failing. His life is a hot mess and the last thing he needs is another complication—like the man who just walked into his café,
a much older…
sinfully hot…
EPIC complication.

TANNER CARPENTER’s time in Queenstown has an expiration date. He has a new branch of his business to get up and running, exorcise a few personal demons while he’s at it, and then head back to Auckland to get on with his life. He isn’t looking for a relationship especially with someone fifteen years his junior, but Ethan is gorgeous, troubled and in need of a friend. Tanner could be that for Ethan, right? He could brighten Ethan’s day for a while, help him out, maybe even offer some… stress relief, no strings attached.

It was a good plan, until it wasn’t.

Review

My Rating - 5 Stars!

Jay Hogan's Powder and Pavlova, the first book in the Southern Lights series, is wonderful.

Tanner and Ethan, two men who belong together, have bad timing and conflicting circumstances. Hooked immediately, I love and adore these two men who must choose between love and responsibilities. The emotions left me gutted at times. Both men have realistic and dynamic.

What starts as a temporary arrangement, soon turns into more for these two men who are great together. What follows is a riveting tale full of heat, humor, conflict, and romance. I absolutely love these men as a couple. Their connection is undeniable and their chemistry is sizzling.

Tanner oozes success as he's trying to move forward with his life. His future is elsewhere, yet he can't resist spending as much time as possible with the gorgeous Ethan. Ethan, a café owner, is much younger than the handsome Tanner, but he looks even younger than he is. His responsibilities are his main focus, as he is raising his younger brother.

And then we have the secondary characters. Ethan and his group of friends are fantastic, adding a whole lot of warmth to this story.

The writing is amazing, with compelling and intriguing characters who are well developed and fully come alive. There's superb dialogue, and the storyline is impressive and thoughtful.

Powder & Pavlova is a long and wonderful romance. Jay Hogan impresses in this emotions and steamy romance between two men trying to find their place in this world after some life changing set-backs.

Excerpt I:

Safe from those heather grey eyes, Ethan collapsed against the door and tried to calm his thundering heart. What. The. Ever-loving. Fuck. He checked his forehead for the tell-tale loser sign he was sure he’d find carved there. Nope, just a shit-ton of nervous perspiration.
“Mister hot and heavy is in again, I take it?” Lucy smiled from the other side of the stainless prep bench, her hands white with flour.
“I have no idea who you’re talking about.” Ethan wiped his hands on his jeans and rearranged the order forms stacked on the desk.
She snorted in disgust. “You can’t lie for shit Ethan, I don’t know why you bother.”
“You’re being ridiculous,” Ethan scoffed. “The guy’s gotta be close to forty.” Just how I like them… apparently.
She looked up from measuring the dry goods. “Well, he’s damn hot.”
“I hadn’t noticed.” He collated the pencils according to colour.
“Liar.”
He threw the last of the pencils in the caddy and fell back against the door. “That obvious, huh?”
Lucy’s grin split her face. “Like a whore in a convent.”
He snorted. “There’s an image I didn’t need.”
Lucy reached for the huge sieve and worked her way through a second mound of flour. “So, what are you doing in here?”
“Hiding?”
“Well, get back out there, mister. He’ll be gone in a minute. You wouldn’t want to miss a final perv.”
Ethan pushed off the wall. “I wasn’t perving. I merely took his order.”
Lucy’s gaze dipped south of Ethan’s belt. “Yeah, right. Tell it to your friend.”
Ethan blushed furiously and crossed his legs.
“And I’ll bet coffee’s not the only order you’d like to take from him,” she added with a wink.
A host of delightfully filthy images raced through Ethan’s head and he groaned.
“And there it is.” Lucy smiled knowingly.
“Oh. My. God. What is it with you lot?” Ethan grumbled, mortified at how badly he’d been caught out. He tugged his shirt a mite lower and flipped her off. “You’re lucky I love you, bitch.”
“You’re lucky I let you, arsehole.”
He pushed open the door and ambled back into the café. Nothing to see here folks. The effort at nonchalance was ruined the second he laid eyes on mister tall, dark and fucking combustible, when he caught his foot in the stool he’d vacated earlier and tripped. Arms wind milling, he stumbled almost to his knees at the man’s feet. Really Ethan? Really? Yeah, not one of his better Kodak moments.
He glanced up in time to see the guy bite back a laugh, but refused to linger on that whole teeth on lip action. If there was a prize for most humiliating crush on an ‘almost’ silver fox, he’d win it hands down.

About Jay:

I am a New Zealand author writing in m/m romance, and romantic suspense. I have traveled extensively and lived in the US, Canada, France, Australia and South Korea. In a past life I have been an Intensive Care Nurse, Counselor, and a Nursing Lecturer.
I'm a cat aficionado especially of Maine Coons, and an avid dog lover (but don’t tell the cat). I love to cook, pretty damn good, love to sing, pretty damn average, and as for loving full-time writing, absolutely… depending of course on the day, the word count, the deadline, how obliging my characters are, the ambient temperature in the Western Sahara, whether Jupiter is rising, the size of the ozone hole over New Zealand and how much coffee I've had.
Welcome to my world.

Social Media Links:

Thursday, March 28, 2019

BLOG TOUR - Black by Quin Perin

BLOG TOUR

Book Title: Black (MM Kitty Play Romance)

Author: Quin Perin

Publisher: Self-Published

Cover Artist: Quin Perin

Genre/s: Gay Erotic Romance

Heat Rating: 4-5 flames

Length: 93 000 words/ 350 pages

Add on Goodreads

Buy Links - Available on Kindle Unlimited

Universal Buy Link

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Blurb

“Meow!”

There it was.

The sound that made my knees buckle.

He purred, neck stretched, eyes half-lidded.

With those cat ears, in his hair.

And the tail, that he flicked.

A ray of sun in the drizzling rain. I’d been a traveler, floating adrift, while he’d stayed in one place. How was I supposed to know he’d become my anchor? My light. My everything. But would I ever become his?

As a standalone romance, “Black” features detailed adult m/m content, a hurt/comfort relationship as well as "kitty play.

Review

My Rating - 5 Stars!

Black is an amazing kitty play romance by Quin Perin. Honestly, I am shocked with how much I love it.

Tony's visiting his sister and is instantly drawn to the beautiful man on the bench. Dima, that intriguing man on the bench is someone who ends up throwing his world into a loop.

Tony's a wanderer, who never stays long in one place. The only family he has is his sister, and while visiting her, he's compelled to explore what's developing with Dima. His background is sad and emotional, and will leave you in love with this man.

And Dima, oh wow, Dima. He's strong, yet fragile. He's an inspirational man with a tragic backstory. It's developed wonderfully throughout and left me an emotional wreck at times. He's blind, left feeling alone and broken. He fears letting anyone get close, knowing they'll eventually leave, as everyone leaves him. Basically, he's afraid to risk his heart.

The writing style is excellent, with a great flow, extremely well developed characters, and a riveting storyline. Their story involves fears and insecurities, risks and taking chances. The relationship is passionate and playful, full of emotions and angst.

This is my first time reading Kitty play, and I absolutely adore it. It's tender, sweet, hot and steamy. Their dynamics are fantastic. The meows, the scratching, omg, I love every second of it.

Black is a wonderful, compelling story with some great kitty play. It's beautiful and tender, as sexual companionship turns into so much more. It's so much more than I expected. Known for their superb erotic stories, this one is so much more. This emotional tale left me gutted at times, and gripped the whole time. All in all, it's a beautiful story!

Excerpt

A shove and he fell into a seated position. His hands were all over me. Squeezing at my thighs, shoving my shirt up. Stepping back, away from him, I grabbed the bottom of my shirt and pulled it over my head. I draped it over the coffee table and worked on my pants next. Kitties didn’t wear clothes after all. If I was going to be a kitty, I was going to be a good one.

Naked, body free in the cool air of my apartment, I lifted my arms above my head and stretched out. Flaunting. I wanted him to touch my cock. Heated, it swayed with each of my movements, begging for attention. That was for later though. Now we played.

Dropping to my knees, I turned my face towards him and angled my head to the side. Hands hit the floor, and I crawled towards him. Strutted as best as I could. It was like the evening before when I’d tried to seduce him. Except I’d already succeeded in my goal this time. Now it was all icing on top.

I crawled up to him, hands going to his knees. “Dima,” he murmured, reaching for my hair. He laced his fingers through, but I jerked my head away from him.

With a hiss, I narrowed my eyes and bit down on his fingers. It made him laugh, but he didn’t touch me again. If he wanted me to get into character, we were going to have to do it properly. I wanted to be something different, and he was going to have to deal with that.

Tony spread his thighs to accept me between them. I scratched and then dipped my head. With the skill of my tongue and teeth, working in tandem, I popped open the button of his jeans. The zipper was much easier, and then he helped me. While he worked on getting his pants out of the way, I showed off my body. Elbows rested on the floor behind me, back arched sharply as I waited. The skin stretched tight over my ribs, stomach a little dip. I was tiny, and I knew it, but Tony definitely seemed to like it.

“God, you’re beautiful,” he murmured.

I purred at the compliment, and when the couch stopped its faint squeaking from his movements, I was at my place between his thighs again. He’d not moved from his spot, making it easier on me. Without much ado, I dove face first into his lower stomach, brushing my nose into his tuft of pubic hair. He smelled faintly of soap and musk, sweat. A distinctly manly smell that drove me crazy. His cock flexed, the heat of it against my cheek. Too heavy to stand on its own when he was seated like that, it pointed towards his hip.

I nipped at his stomach and turned my head so my cheek rested against him. Keeping my eyes closed, I flicked my tongue against the side of his cock. He groaned and shifted, legs spreading wider.

Poor Tony.

He thought he was going to get what he wanted. One thing he would learn was kitties didn’t much care to do what other people wanted.

This time when I scratched at his thighs, I was attacking bare skin. He jerked against me, hissing between his teeth.

“Fuck,” he grumbled.

He might have caught the smirk that danced over my lips, but if he did, it was only a brief moment as I bypassed his cock and went straight to his balls. My tongue lapped across the tender flesh, tasting salt and heat. I swore I felt his heart beating as my nose brushed the base of his cock and my tongue worked him over. Curious, I mouthed at his sack before letting out a tiny “meow.” He arched so hard and quickly, I thought he was gonna jump off the couch.

If he liked that, Tony was in for a long night.

About the Authors

This is Quin&Perin. We are a team of Sultry Gay Romance writers who focus on detailed, toe-curling, and realistic smut scenes with a fair share of dirty talking (Oh, boy). We cannot wait to share our boys with you. Thank you for stopping by! That said, it is time for the next level of smut: stories featuring fire, lust & desire.

🔥 Author Links 🔥

Giveaway

Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for a chance to win an ebook of Black and a $5 Amazon Gift Card.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE

Hosted by Gay Book Promotions

Tuesday, March 5, 2019

RELEASE BLITZ & REVIEW - Black by Quin Perin

COVER REVEAL AND RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: Black (MM Kitty Play Romance)

Author: Quin Perin

Publisher: Self-Published

Cover Artist: Quin Perin

Genre/s: Gay Erotic Romance

Heat Rating: 4.5 flames

Length: 93 000 words/ 350 pages

Add on Goodreads

Amazon US Link

Universal Buy Link

Blurb

“Meow!”

There it was.

The sound that made my knees buckle.

He purred, neck stretched, eyes half-lidded.

With those cat ears, in his hair.

And the tail, that he flicked.

A ray of sun in the drizzling rain. I’d been a traveler, floating adrift, while he’d stayed in one place. How was I supposed to know he’d become my anchor? My light. My everything. But would I ever become his?

***As a standalone romance, “Black” features detailed adult m/m content, a hurt/comfort relationship as well as "kitty play."

Review

My Rating - 5 Stars!

Black is an amazing kitty play romance by Quin Perin. Honestly, I am shocked with how much I love it.

Tony's visiting his sister and is instantly drawn to the beautiful man on the bench. Dima, that intriguing man on the bench is someone who ends up throwing his world into a loop.

Tony's a wanderer, who never stays long in one place. The only family he has is his sister, and while visiting her, he's compelled to explore what's developing with Dima. His background is sad and emotional, and will leave you in love with this man.

And Dima, oh wow, Dima. He's strong, yet fragile. He's an inspirational man with a tragic backstory. It's developed wonderfully throughout and left me an emotional wreck at times. He's blind, left feeling alone and broken. He fears letting anyone get close, knowing they'll eventually leave, as everyone leaves him. Basically, he's afraid to risk his heart.

The writing style is excellent, with a great flow, extremely well developed characters, and a riveting storyline. Their story involves fears and insecurities, risks and taking chances. The relationship is passionate and playful, full of emotions and angst.

This is my first time reading Kitty play, and I absolutely adore it. It's tender, sweet, hot and steamy. Their dynamics are fantastic. The meows, the scratching, omg, I love every second of it.

Black is a wonderful, compelling story with some great kitty play. It's beautiful and tender, as sexual companionship turns into so much more. It's so much more than I expected. Known for their superb erotic stories, this one is so much more. This emotional tale left me gutted at times, and gripped the whole time. All in all, it's a beautiful story!

Excerpt

I waited for Tony, curled up on the couch with my cat ears perched in my hair. It had been nearly an hour, and I was starting to get impatient. Every time my hard-on started to die down, a new thought of all the filthy stuff we could get into made it shoot back up. I felt lightheaded from the lack of blood in my brain.

The doorbell rang, and I shot off the couch, buzzing him in.

Moving onto my hands and knees, I crawled to the door and plucked it open, listening for Tony’s footsteps. I recognized the way he moved, and this was surely him. The sound of his heavy yet careful feet against the wood made my heart skip. I sat up with my knees together, palms resting on the floor in front of them. The eager kitty waiting for its Master to come home. If I had a tail, I would have been flicking it.

A sturdy knock faintly vibrated the door in the frame.

“Dima?” Tony called. He pushed the door more as he stepped in.

He made it over the threshold, and then he stopped, sucking in a loud breath. I couldn’t read his facial expression, but I imagined he was gaping. I doubted he expected me to answer the door naked, hard, and with my ears on.

“Dima?” he murmured. “Jesus….”

“Meow.” An eager greeting for Tony. I moved towards him, head butting against his legs before I twined myself around them. Once, twice, I circled around his legs. Ending in front of him, I reached out and dug my nails into his thighs. My back curled into a sharp arch as I looked up towards him, cocking my head to the side. I purred quietly.

Tony’s hand fanned through my hair, stroking it. “You’re too much,” he murmured.

Damn right I was.

I wasn’t going to make it easy for him to resist.

My hands brushed up, trailing over his cock. He moaned low, and my lips twitched towards a smirk. I nuzzled into his crotch, meowing again. He swelled under my touch while I scratched my nails down his thighs again. His fingers tried to tighten in my hair, but I turned away from him quickly.

Back facing him, I dropped my hands down and crawled towards the couch, letting him see the plug that peered from between my cheeks. Yeah, he wasn’t going to win this one.

About the Authors

This is Quin&Perin. We are a team of Sultry Gay Romance writers who focus on detailed, toe-curling, and realistic smut scenes with a fair share of dirty talking (Oh, boy). We cannot wait to share our boys with you. Thank you for stopping by!

That said, it is time for the next level of smut: stories featuring fire, lust & desire.

🔥 Author Links 🔥

Giveaway

Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for a chance to win a copy of Black and a $5 Amazon gift card.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hosted by Gay Book Promotions

Monday, February 25, 2019

REVIEW TOUR - Better Place (Rainbow Place #3) by Jay Northcote

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Exclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow with Kindle Unlimited

Length: 66,000 words approx.

Cover Design: Garrett Leigh @ Black Jazz Design

Goodreads

Rainbow Place Series

Book #1 - Rainbow Place - Amazon US | Amazon UK

My Review

Book #2 - Safe Place - Amazon US | Amazon UK

My Review

Blurb

Joe deserves better. Meeting Dylan helps him see that.

After a recent redundancy, Joe takes a few months off to try and make it as a writer. His partner, Harry, is less than supportive but Joe is used to that after ten years together, just like he’s used to Harry’s controlling nature and his drinking habit.

Dylan, a server at Rainbow Place, is fascinated by Joe as he sits in the café and works on his laptop. His attempts to flirt are met with awkwardness at first, but gradually Joe opens up. Dylan is disappointed when he learns Joe isn’t single. As their friendship develops he begins to worry about the nature of Joe’s relationship, especially when he witnesses Harry’s behaviour in person. Abuse isn’t always physical, and Dylan knows that from experience. His concern helps Joe see his relationship for what it is, and gives him the courage to end things with Harry.

Free to act on their mutual attraction, Joe and Dylan dive headlong into something that becomes serious fast. Joe revels in the passion and intimacy he’s been missing out on for so long, but Dylan is worried that Joe is on the rebound. He puts on the brakes, knowing that they need to slow down to make this last. For this new relationship to work, Joe needs to show Dylan that he’s ready to move on from the past.

Although this book is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone and has a satisfying happy ending.

Review

My Rating - 5 Stars!

As an avid fan of Jay Northcote's writing, I am excited for any new book by Jay. His latest, Better Place, may just be my all time favorite Jay book. As the third book in the Rainbow Place series, Better Place is the story of Dylan and Joe.

When Dylan meets Joe at his work, he's instantly attracted to him and extremely intrigued by the older man. But as he gets to know him, he sees things he doesn't like and wants to help him. This story explores the aspects of being in a controlling and abusive relationship. Joe's issues are written with knowledge, care, and understanding.

Both men are great characters, full of depth. Dylan's a young man but he's so damn caring and compassionate. He's a breathe of fresh air. His maturity is inspiring, and the men make some tough, yet very mature decisions.

Of course we also have appearances from the other men of Rainbow Place, which is always fun and enjoyable. I love the way this author creates connecting books, as he did in his Housemates series, and now in Rainbow Place series.

Jay Northcote always manages to create a worthwhile story, but this one is extraordinary. The story tackles an important topic, is riveting, and extremely entertaining. I love everything about Better Place. The writing style is excellent and the pace flows wonderfully. I can't recommend this book enough.

Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England. He comes from a family of writers, but always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed him by. He spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content.

One day, Jay decided to try and write a short story—just to see if he could—and found it rather addictive. He hasn’t stopped writing since.

Jay writes contemporary romance about men who fall in love with other men. He has five books published by Dreamspinner Press, and also self-publishes under the imprint Jaybird Press. Many of his books are now available as audiobooks.

Website

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Facebook author page

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Jay’s books