My First Time Fling (Rebel Hearts #1) by Spencer Spears

 

Amazon Link - Available in KU 
Goodreads Link

Don’t worry, I’m straight. It’s not like I’m gonna fall in love with you…

Mark: Fresh out of the military, and even more freshly diagnosed with PTSD after a very public breakdown, I moved to small-town Georgia to clear my head. The plan was to renovate my grandmother’s house, and maybe renovate my brain a little, too.

I should have known my brain would have plans of its own…

When I meet Jesse, a wise-cracking bartender with a soft spot for the world’s ugliest dogs, we agree to run a marathon together. As friends. Just friends. Jesse’s getting over a breakup, and the last thing he needs is another guy to mess with his head. But hey, it’s not like I’m gonna fall for him.

After all, I’m straight…right?

That’s what I’ve always thought, but Jesse’s eyes just do something to me. And when we spend a night together in a ramshackle bed and breakfast, his body does something to me, too. Several things. The kind that leave me desperate for more.

I didn’t mean to fall in love with anybody—much less with a man—but I can’t keep Jesse out of my heart. Only, he doesn’t know the truth about me, or all the ways I’m broken. And I don’t know if he’ll still want me, once he sees all my damage.

There’s only thing I know for sure: I’m not going down without a fight.

My First Time Fling is Book 1 in the Rebel Hearts series set in steamy southern Georgia. Each book is snarky, swoony, and full of heat. They can be read on their own, but are even more fun together. My First Time Fling is a 65,000 word m/m romance with a military veteran and first-time gay themes. HEA guaranteed.

And earlier version of My First Time Fling was published under the title Runaway Heart by Harper Logan. The book has been revised, updated, and expanded for re-release 

My Rating - 4.5 Stars!

My First Time Fling is the first book in the Rebel Hearts series by Spencer Spears. And it's wonderful. 

There's a lot going on for these two. Their connection is quick and strong. But there's secrets, fears, and doubts throughout. 

There's the aftermath of being cheating on, including the inability to fully trust. There's PTSD that's extremely well written and illustrated. And there's a sexual awakening with first times. Oh, so good. 

I love these men and their layers. They compliment one another well, creating a sweet romance. But their complications add plenty of light tension and some obstacles at times. 

The writing is fabulous, the characters charming, and the storyline full of heart and substance. Written in alternating first person pov, both men fully pulled me into their feelings. Add in plenty of banter and I love it. 

My First Time Fling is a great small town romance. I adore this Spencer Spears book. It's a fabulous mix of romance, heat, and emotion. I applaud the way Spencer explores serious subject matters in a sensitive manner, all while keeping things from getting too heavy. 

BLOG TOUR, EXCERPT, GIVEAWAY & REVIEW - You're My Home by Katie Moore

Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway:
You're My Home
By Katie Moore

A love story you can live in…

Zach

Brady is my overprotective best friend, and I love him like this. He’s so much bigger than me and makes me feel safe. We are opposites in so many ways, but when I’m cuddled up against him and he reads to me, all those differences fade away. Brady promises to be friends forever, but what will he say when he finds out my secret? Will I lose my best friend and the boy I love more than life itself?

Brady

Zach is so tiny and tenderhearted. All I want to do is protect him from the world. He’s my sweet bookworm and never wants to hurt anyone. I love my best friend, but how do I give him all of me when I don’t understand myself yet? If nothing else, I can shower him with all the acceptance and love he deserves.

Zach and Brady come from completely different social and religious backgrounds, but they don’t let that weaken their friendship. Both teens have to go through a journey of self-discovery, including all the heartaches and joys that come with growing up. As they get older, will they find themselves and how they fit together?

You’re my Home is a sweet and emotional coming of age story. It’s a slow-burn, hurt/comfort, teen best friends to adult lovers romance. There will be tears, laughter, new friends, and steamy lovemaking as Zach and Brady learn the meaning of true acceptance of oneself and others.

**Trigger warnings: domestic violence, trauma, PTSD, and religious homophobia.

Universal Link

Add to Goodreads

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My Rating - 5+ Stars!

This book! Oh my god, this book! You're My Home is a debut novel for Katie Moore. And it's mesmerizing, riveting, and all consuming.

This book is long. No question about it. It is detailed, complex, and covers many years. Set plenty of time aside to read this.

This book is serious. Extremely serious. It touches on abuse, family issues, bullying, anxiety attacks, panic attacks, and a connection between two people unlike anything I've ever seen before. It thoroughly explores one's need to define their sexuality, and the elements of demi-sexuality.

This story is that of Brady and Zach, two boys who are worlds apart. But the connection between them is absolute. The first time Brady meets Zach, he knows he is there to help save him. From his father. From the bullies. From the ugliness of the world. And fortunately for Zach, Brady's family feels the same way.

I don't want to go into any details. It's best to just discover them as you read. But the story is amazingly beautiful and touching.

And it's as emotional as can be. Every single moment of this book, every single sentence, is weighed down with emotion. The emotions jump off the pages throughout.

It's a long, ugly, emotional journey for these two. But this is a romance, so ultimately it's no surprise that they eventually get together. I think it's fair to say this isn't a spoiler.

And when they do, oh my god. Seriously, I just can't even begin to explain how torturously emotional the sex scenes are. I thought the emotions carried this story before. But gah! The sex scenes. I've never read anything so full of emotion before.

Just read it.

Their journey starts as kids, carries them through the teen years, and ultimately looks at their futures. It's long. It's detailed. It could easily be a three part series. But it's pure perfection read all together.

You're My Home is absolutely addicting. From the first page, Katie Moore held me hostage with her words. This isn't like my typical review because this isn't a typical book. Zach and Brady grabbed my heart from the very first page and I lived and breathed every single moment of their journey with them. It's a spectacular book.

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Special Release Excerpt:

“I want to talk to you.” Dad walks down the hallway to his office, knowing I’ll follow him. I lean against the doorframe, staying just far enough out that Zach will know where I am if he comes back into the kitchen.

Dad sits on the edge of his desk, facing me. “Who were the kids that were being mean?”

“Derek Sanders, the one I asked to leave here when he called Zach a stalker. Along with a few of JV freshman players that I don’t know well.”

“Not surprising, he seemed like a dick.”

My dad doesn’t usually call someone a dick, and it catches me so off guard that an abrupt laugh escapes from my chest.

“What were they making fun of him about?”

“His size…being a fourth-grader…a hobbit. Then they called him queer, and he got up and left.”

“No wonder he was so upset.” Dad rubs the back of his neck, and I realize that I have that same habit when I’m stressed.

“He was upset because he thought it would embarrass me. He never wants to hurt anyone, and when he thinks he’s the cause of it, he can’t handle it.”

“That’s why it makes me livid that someone would hurt him, even with words. God knows the kid has been through enough already.”

I catch movement out of the corner of my eye and turn to see Zach in the kitchen, looking lost. I wave my arm so he sees me, and he smiles. I watch him walk over to help Mom with the ice cream before looking back at Dad.

“He trusts you, Brady. The kind of trust that most people will never give. Be sure to treasure that and not do anything to break it. I’m not sure you could get it back if you did.”

Dad’s words feel heavy, like I need to memorize them and keep them close. “I wouldn’t do anything to break his trust.”

“I know you never would intentionally, but you’re young, and teenagers do stupid things. I think you’re mature beyond your years, and I am so proud of the young man you’re becoming. I’m only cautioning you because I see the bond you have with Zach, and I’m not sure you truly understand what it would mean to lose that. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime kind of friendship…love…and so many go through life searching for what you’ve found so young. Many never find it.”

He walks over to put his hand on my shoulder, squeezing gently. “All I’m saying, Son, is that when it comes to Zach, think before you react and don’t take all the love and trust he gives you for granted. Someday you’ll truly understand the depth and beauty of what he gives you. And what you give him.” His hand moves down over my heart. “You’ve given him a lot of space in here. Take care of your heart, Son, because that boy in the kitchen is most of it.”

I nod, speechless at my dad’s words.

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Enter the Giveaway:

To celebrate the Katie's debut release & cover reveal, we are giving away a 3 copies of You're My Home!

Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance to win!

A Rafflecopter Giveaway

Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/cc0f2a57241/?

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Katie Moore is a writer of romance and happily ever afters. She is very compassionate and tries her best to show others kindness. She loves to write and escape into some imaginary world she's created in her head. If she's not writing, she's reading a book. Preferably one with emotion that makes her laugh and cry. Katie is usually snuggled up with her four dogs, Izzy, Bess, Violet, and Skye.

Katie Moore is the author of You're My Home, a gay romance novel. She let her heart write Zach and Brady's story. She hopes all her readers love them as much as she does.

Connect with Katie:
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21577348.Katie_Moore
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorkatiemoore
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorkatiemoore/

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RELEASE BLITZ, EXCERPT & REVIEW - Covert Strength (Crush #7) by Elouise East

 

💖 Covert Strength is LIVE 💖

💕 Crush Book 7 by Elouise East 💕

→ Order Here: https://smarturl.it/CovertStrength 

Goodreads

A single father receives more than he bargained for in the shape of an ex-military man in this emotional, low angst MM romance.

Can one night change their entire future?

Zak's son means more to him than anything or anyone else. He refuses to allow another person the opportunity to hurt them. One night stands are all he can afford - emotionally and physically. When one night turns into more than he bargained for, he is blindsided in more ways than one.

Kenzo was honourably discharged from the military when he was in an accident. Adrift, he focuses on what he can do to help those in a similar situation. But hiding his roommate’s condition is taking its toll. One night with Zak turns his world upside down, and he finds he can’t go back to the way things were before.

What happens when secrets unfold and trust is tested to its limit?

This is a standalone novel within the Crush series, but if you would like to check it out from book 1, head over to First Kiss: https://smarturl.it/LFirstKiss 

Follow Elouise East here: https://linktr.ee/elouiseeastauthor 

My Rating - 3.5 Stars!

Covert Strength is the seventh book in Elouise East's Crush series. It's easily read as a standalone. 

Kenzo and Zak make for a good couple. Zak's determination to keep his love life to one night stands, all for the sake of his son, helps guide this tale. 

The men make for a intriguing couple and I definitely was rooting for them throughout. Heck, I just adore the way Kenzo bonds to Zak's son, Dane. 

The issues Kenzo has with his roommate make for an emotional read, as the author spares no expense with the PTSD elements. It's definitely a tough, yet interesting read. 

This is a story with ex wife issues, roommates with PTSD, and plenty more. There's multiple storylines going on at once, leaving me feeling like I wanted more. More of the relationship. But instead I got more of the other issues. That's okay, but it just left me wanting. 

Covert Strength is a sweet addition to this Elouise East world. It's definitely worth a read if you're in the mood for a single dad falling for a veteran. 

Zak stirred and blew on Dane’s food, cooling it down, while Kenzo placed the full coffee mugs in front of each of them, which Zak acknowledged with a nod of thanks. There was no conversation as Zak made sure the food wasn’t too hot for his son. He secured a bib around Dane’s neck and gave him the bowl and spoon.

“Have at it, champ.”

“You’re letting him feed himself?”

Kenzo’s eyebrows were raised, eyes wide as he stared at Dane. Zak took in the vision of Dane dropping the food from his spoon directly onto his bib, not much getting into his mouth. Zak smiled. “He has to learn. Plus, it allows me to eat a warm breakfast instead of a cold one. Cold porridge is not pleasant.”

“True.”

They ate in almost silence, just the clink of spoons against bowls and Dane’s babbling.

When he’d finished, he bit his lip and asked, “What do you do? As a job, I mean.”

Kenzo sat back in his chair, a hand wrapped around his mug. “I’m retired from the Army.”

Zak raised his eyebrows but realised it fit him like a glove. “Yeah, I can see it now you’ve said that. Did you enjoy it?”

Kenzo huffed. “I wouldn’t say I enjoyed it as such, but I was happy with what needed to be done.”

Zak sensed his reluctance to talk about it and changed the subject. “And you work out for fun.”

“Most of the time.” Kenzo grinned. “Sometimes, I just ogle the guys there.” He winked.

Zak sputtered his coffee, coughing slightly. 

Kenzo laughed. “Sorry.”

“No, you’re not,” Zak complained once he’d recovered.

“Okay, I’m not.” Kenzo drained his mug. “I’m going to go and leave you. Thank you for breakfast.” He stood, picking up his bowl and mug and rinsing them out in the sink without asking if he should. 

When Kenzo walked past to leave, Zak stood and placed his hand on Kenzo’s forearm, pulling him to a stop. Gaze finally connecting with Kenzo and roaming his face, Zak said, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” They stared at each other for a moment, an expression Zak couldn’t decipher on the other man’s face before Kenzo leaned forward and placed a kiss on Zak’s cheek. “Take care.”

Zak swallowed hard against the need to call Kenzo back as he walked away. He didn’t need him here; he was fine alone.

“And who might you be?” He heard from the hallway.

“Damn it! Noah!” He rubbed a hand across his face. This was the last thing he needed.

“What? I’m saying hi,” his brother shouted back.

“Leave him alone!”

“He can’t leave now. I’ve only just met him.”

“Noah! If he wants to leave, let him!” Zak sat again, using Dane’s spoon to collect all the bits he’d missed his mouth with. “Meddling brothers are not pleasant. Be grateful you’re an only child,” he muttered to his son.

Noah entered the kitchen with a smug expression on his face. His brother looked a lot like him, except with short, spiky hair and a clean-shaven jaw. They had the same slender build, although Noah had more muscles than Zak did—at least for now, he thought smugly. Though he was only five years younger than Zak, he appeared even younger, especially when wearing skinny jeans and a tight black t-shirt like he was.

Zak rolled his eyes, only stopping when Kenzo joined them with a pinched expression on his face.

“I see you’ve met my annoying little brother. Kenzo, Noah. Noah, Kenzo.”

At those words, Kenzo’s face relaxed, the tension releasing from his body. Zak realised he must’ve thought they were a couple, which he thought was a strange assumption as there was no denying they were related. To each their own, of course. The two men nodded at each other.

“Mmm, coffee.” Noah helped himself to a mug, leaning back against the counter as he cupped it. “Have you seen or heard anything from Ashley?”

Zak glanced across at Kenzo before returning to Noah, shaking his head. “Nothing. I don’t know why she bothered when we all know she didn’t want him in the first place.”

“Probably to mess with you.”

“Probably. You have a girlfriend yet?” Zak wanted off the topic and distracted Noah with his relationship issues.

“Nah.” Noah’s demeanour showed he was hiding something, but Zak would get it out of him later.

“Better hurry up, or you’ll be a spinster in no time.” Zak grinned.

RELEASE BLITZ & REVIEW - Heartscape (Vino & Veritas #2) by Garrett Leigh

 

Release Date: March 22, 2021

Purchase here: Amazon Link

Add to Goodreads here: Goodreads Link

Vino & Veritas Series Page: https://hearteyespress.com/wotn#/vino-and-veritas/

Cover Design: Christine Coffey

From award-winning author Garrett Leigh comes a gorgeous new romance in the True North world! Think: great food, burly men and good times. Beards are optional but encouraged.

I’m not the obvious choice to run Burlington’s coolest wine bar—quiet, brooding, clueless about tannin content, and always one wrong turn away from another downward spiral.

But no one seems to mind that I'm a wreck. Besides me. I just focus on getting through each shift until the night a beautiful stranger appears, looking as lost and damaged as I feel.

When a mutual friend calls in a favor, the sexy newcomer winds up crashing on my couch. I don't know if it's his melodic Cornish accent, or his ocean blue eyes, or the rock-hard body with the mysterious scars, but I get the feeling whatever happened to him runs far deeper than those wounds.

Having Jax in my home makes my chest warm. Makes me shiver. Makes me want more. But I've got a pile of baggage and I don't want to be a burden on anyone let alone a man who seems to have enough demons of his own.

Our chemistry is off the charts. His arms feel like home. The last thing I want is to screw this up. Is it wrong to hope we can heal each other? Or will one of us die trying?

HEARTSCAPE is a heartfelt MM friends-to-lovers romance in the True North world, with a brooding bartender, a rugged outdoorsman, sweet angst and lots of Shipley cider. Triggers: contains mentions of depression, suicidal ideation and PTSD recovery.

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My Rating - 4.5 Stars!

Heartscape is the second book in the multi-author Vino & Veritas series. This is Garrett Leigh's contribution and it's fantastic. 

Both Tanner and Jax know all about heartache. Their tale is heavy, with pain, depression, trauma, and PTSD. This is a major aspect of their journey so avoid if you're not in the mood for a serious emotional story.

Every moment of their journey is wonderfully developed and executed. I love these men, and isn't that the point. I want to hold and comfort both of them. Luckily for me, they eventually have each other to lean on.

I enjoy the pace at which everything unfolds. Their journey is perfectly satisfying and leaves me thrilled to have enjoyed the details. 

This series takes place in a small Vermont town and the author does a great job bringing the fell of this town to life. You can feel this Sarina Bowen created world completely, and I wish V&V was a read place. 

Heartscape is a riveting romance. This Garrett Leigh tale is a tough read, full of heartache and pain, but it won't disappoint. 

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Jax kisses me. In my wildest dreams I’m expecting it, but it still catches me off guard. His lips are soft, but demanding, and there’s nothing I don’t want to give him.

So I kiss him back. 

I slide my hands under his layers of winter clothing and pull him close, and we kiss and kiss and kiss as if it isn’t the first time we’ve done it. 

His lips feel like home. 

His soft touch dances along my jaw. 

I want to kiss him forever, but we run out of air.

Startled, I draw back and instantly find myself lost in Jax’s blazing stare. His gaze usually calms me—it really is like the deepest, bluest ocean. But right now, his eyes are stormy and hot. I want to dive back in headfirst, and for once what I want makes sense. 

And it’s right here. I don’t need words. I stand, cup a hand around the back of his neck, and kiss him again. Jax makes another low sound, and the fact that he’s spent the night in my bed to babysit me stops mattering. Shadows fade. Heat draws us ever closer, and it’s easy to pretend we spent all night doing this. I can’t contemplate that it has to end.

But it does end. 

Jax pulls back with a rueful smile, cheeks flushed, breathing hard. “I have to go. I promised Jerry I wouldn’t be late again.”

The mention of Jerry jars something in my brain enough to form a sentence that has nothing to do with how fast my heart is beating. “How did last night go?”

“Okay, I think.” Jax steps away. “Dude talked so much I stopped listening, but the apartment was all right. I can move in whenever I want.”

I should be happy for him. I am happy for him. He didn’t deserve to lose all his things in the hostel fire, and it sucks he had to take help from a stranger when he needed so badly to depend on himself. But I’m still dazed from his kiss. I say the first thing that comes into my head. Raw. No filter. “I’m gonna miss you.”

He gives me a soft grin. “I’ll miss you too.”

Then he leaves, and the reality that it might be the last time we do this hits me like a train. Jerry’s buddy’s apartment is probably outside of the city, closer to where Jax needs to be for his work. It isn’t a million miles away—nothing in Vermont ever is—but it’s not waking up to find Jax in my bed. It’s not drinking his weird tea together or eating dinner on the couch with him. It’s not opening my eyes every morning to feel the comforting hum of his presence.

It’s not being there to let him know, every day, that he fucking matters.

So tell him now.

I lurch from my bed and snag a T-shirt from the clean laundry pile I haven’t even thought about putting away. My shoes are by the front door. I stamp into them and fish my keys from the dish. Then I make a run for it down the stairs and out into the morning gloom.

The sidewalk is icy from the plummeting temperatures that are starting to move in from the mountains. But I’m a Vermonter; I know how to handle that shit. I dash to the parking lot where Jax is waiting for Jerry, his broad back to me as he contemplates the ground.

I grab his arm. “You don’t have to leave.”

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The Long Game by Anna Martin

 

Amazon Link   

Goodreads Link

After spending six years deep undercover, special agent Calvin Purnell has a new mission: stay alive until his dangerous ex is apprehended. Survival means going off the grid and staying radio silent, totally disconnected from his old life. He's scraping to get by in a nowhere town, isolated and alone… until he meets AJ.

As a high school counsellor, AJ Morris is used to piecing people back together, and experience tells him Calvin's nothing but trouble. AJ already bears too many scars from his difficult adolescence to fall for a man who might leave at any time. But attraction isn’t rational, and the risk seems worth it, right up until loving Calvin turns into a threat to AJ’s own life.

As the past catches up with him, Calvin must return to where his nightmare started in a race against the clock to rescue AJ. But he quickly learns that he’s not the only one playing the long game.

My Rating - 4 Stars!

The Long Game is an interesting romance by Anna Martin. 

Calvin is incognito, which leaves him without a resume to get a job. He's been undercover for the FBI and is on the run, trying to save his life. He suffers from PTSD and is always looking in the shadows. This aspect pulled me in, as I felt for him immensely. Seriously, there's a lot for him to deal with, including an ex wife he never even wanted to marry. 

AJ, meanwhile, is a counselor who was burnt in a fire years ago and is still traumatized by it. The issues he has with his body is hard to read. He desperately wants to find love, but it's tough for him to trust anyone. 

The trust between the two is instant and they grow close quickly. Oh course, the attraction is strong and the sex is good.

Honestly, you can feel the connection early on. Calvin immediately feels that he can trust AJ and is finally able to open up to someone. 

The danger and suspense part of the story is when things really get good. It does take a long time to get here though, so hang in there. Calvin is on the run, so yes, someone is after him. I couldn't read this part fast enough.

In the end, The Long Game is a good hurt/comfort read. Anna Martin keeps things interesting in this tale of healing.