Matched By My Rival (Thrust Into Love #2) by D.J. Jamison

 

Amazon Link   - Available in KU 

Goodreads Link

Simon Prentiss: ex-football star, bitter rival, and...falling for the enemy?

I hate my teammate, Parker Reed.
I hate that he makes me work so hard for my position on the field.
Hate how he always smiles. How easily he shows me up when I'm injured.

Most of all, I hate that he made me lose my temper.

Next thing I know, football is gone.
My scholarship is gone.
I'm nearly gone, too.

With help, I manage to stay in school for my final semester.
At least without football, I can explore a new side to myself.
See where my attraction to guys takes me without fear of it affecting my future.

I didn't see it coming. The cosmic joke.
The sweet, patient guy on the hookup app?
The one who makes me burn with the desire to have him?

Yeah, it's Parker.

Our chemistry is off the charts, no matter how much I resent him.
Holding a grudge against him is impossible.
But when he wants to walk away from everything I lost, can I accept it?

If I don't, I'll lose him too--and that can't happen.
Because I don't hate Parker Reed.
I think I love him.

Matched By My Rival is an enemies-to-lovers, jock rivals romance. It's Book 2 of the Thrust Into Love series but can be read as a standalone.

My Rating - 5 Stars!

Oh man, I love this book. DJ Jamison's Matched By My Rival is a wonderful sports romance. The second book in the Thrust Into Love series, it's easily read as a standalone. 

It has college athletes, which is my favorite thing. 

Simon and Parker are rivals, both on the field, and with a girl. Yikes. Great set up to the fun. 

They start chatting online, as Simon wants to explore his bisexual curiosity. Of course, he has no idea he's chatting with Parker.

The bisexual awakening is fabulous, with a lot of heartfelt moments. The closeted issue is great, as Simon is of course closeted, as most athletes are. 

The sex is super hot. Yes, no surprise there. But damn! These two are smoking as they explore first times and try not to get caught. 

I enjoy the overall theme of trying to decide how to move forward after one's life changes track. It's a tough pill for Spencer when he's kicked off the football team. I appreciate the way the author handles his emotions about this. 

And then there's Parker, who's deciding his future as well. He hates that he has to be closeted as a football player, but he knows he wants something else for himself. 

It's a wonderful reminder that one has to live their life for themselves. One has to do what's best for themselves, and not follow the pressure from others. 

Matched By My Rival is a riveting enemies to lovers romance. I absolutely loved every moment of this coming out, bisexual exploration tale by DJ Jamison. It's perfectly emotional, sweet, and sexy.

Let Me Remind You (A Love Permit Novel Book 3) by Gianni Holmes

 

Amazon Link   - Available in KU  

Goodreads Link

What happens when a man you can't remember has more memories of you than you have of yourself?

Clay's football career is brought to a halt after losing his memory in an accident. When he moves back to San Diego, he hopes familiar surroundings will bring back his memory. He doesn’t expect to be slapped in the street by the most interesting guy he's never met before. Or has he? Why else can't he get the image of the high-heel-wearing guy who owns the queer lingerie shop from his mind?

After years of a secret relationship with Clay, Jeremy called it quits. But when he told Clay to forget about him and move on, he never counted on that actually happening. Now two years following their breakup, Clay's family wants Jeremy to help fill in the gaps in his memories. Will Jeremy be able to handle poking around old wounds? Or will revisiting these memories remind them of all the fun times they had and how much they are still in love?

Let Me Remind You is a new book in the Love Permit series and can be read as a standalone. It is low angst with intense moments and features an MC who’s fabulously fem without apology. Expect lace, sweet walks down memory lane, and falling in love all over again.

My Rating - 5+ Stars!

Wow! Just wow! Gianni Holmes' Let Me Remind You is a phenomenal read. The third book in the A Love Permit series, it's riveting, powerful, and is one of the best books I've read this year. 

This tale starts with a breakup. And, wow, what a breakup. It's absolutely gut wrenching. 

And then...Omg...then...

Two years later when Jeremy runs into Clay again, he slaps him. But, unfortunately for all, Clay has no memory of Jeremy or why Jeremy would be mad at him. 

What a gut wrenching moment and a gut wrenching romance. 

The closeted football player Clay, and the femme, very "out" Jeremy. Their romance is tragic. Their romance is all consuming. And their romance is one that will stay with me forever. I love it all!

I continue to be in awe of this author. And this is yet an all new level of stellar writing for me. Everything about this story is amazing. Written in alternating first person pov, the characters fully come to life, with every single emotion jumping off the pages. 

Let Me Remind You is a fantastic surprise for me. Gianni Holmes has left me glued to the pages throughout. I cried. And then I cried some more. Just read it.  

Wrapped with Love by Beth Bolden

Amazon Link  - Available in KU
Goodreads Link

Librarian's Note: Alternate covers for this ASIN can be found here and here.

A Five Points holiday-themed novel, featuring a surprise couple, and lots of your old favorites: Jemma & Gabe, Nick & Colin, Landon & Quentin, and more!

NFL player Jordan Christensen walks into Reed Ryan’s restaurant without a reservation. It isn’t the most serendipitous of meet-cute’s and they certainly aren’t the likeliest of romances, but over venison steaks and crème brûlée, they fall in love anyway.

Flash forward two years . . .

Jordan isn’t a football player anymore.

Reed sold his restaurant.

But even more drastically, they’ve lost each other.

When Reed moves to Los Angeles take a new job, he doesn’t realize Jordan now works there too. But Jordan definitely realizes how precious the second chance fate has bestowed on them is. He’s determined to make up for everything that fell apart the first time around, and it turns out he’s not the only one scheming to right old wrongs.

Starting a new career is always difficult but sharing office space—and big projects—with an old lover is particularly rough. Between impromptu Secret Santa exchanges, Christmas light viewings, and more tacos than even Reed can eat, the two former lovers have an eventful holiday season to navigate. 

My Rating - 4 Stars!

The beginning of Wrapped with Love had me hooked on this Beth Bolden romance. 

The prologue is mesmerizing, and then Chapter One starts with a fast forward of  two years. We learn that Reed and Jordan are reuniting after their breakup. 

At first I wasn't sure what to expect. Obviously a lot happened during those two years and the reader is oblivious to all of it. Luckily, it's easy to pick up and the author gives us glimpses of the past, both when they fell in love, and when they broke up.

Ohhh...the emotions! Their feelings of longing, pain, and hurt are front and center. The regret, the heartache, the awkwardness. Everything is felt throughout and is amazing. And in the end, it's a wonderful tale of acceptance, understanding, and forgiveness. 

I love these two together. Jordan and Reed are great together. We know they have a strong connection, and are still pining for each other. But it's so much more. They're perfect for one another, despite their past mistakes. 

Besides, what's not to love about a chef who's awkward, and a famous athlete? Of course, when they are reunited, both are at a crossroads. Reed no longer has his restaurant and is starting all over again. Meanwhile Jordan has retired from the game. With a chance to work with Reed, he can't resist trying for his second chance. 

Again - Pining. Longing. Want. Need. Regret. And second chances.

Wrapped with Love is a sweet and tender second chance romance. Beth Bolden lays the emotions out on every single page. It's a great reconciliation story in which the emotions are everything. 

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.

RELEASE BLITZ & REVIEW - Chasing Eddie (Golden Gate Love #3) by Frank W Butterfield

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

Exclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow with Kindle Unlimited

Length: 45,000 words 

Goodreads Link

Golden Gate Love Stories

Book #1 - The One He Waited For - Amazon US | Amazon UK

Book #2 - Their Own Hidden Island - Amazon US | Amazon UK

Blurb

January 29, 2019

Eddie Smith is a chubby bear of a guy who lives in Daytona Beach and doesn't work much anymore but isn't retired.

Whit Hall has just retired as a tight end for an NFL expansion team and lives in San Antonio.

At 52, Eddie feels at home with himself and has learned how to roll with life. He's happy enough where he is and doesn't expect much to happen anytime soon.

At 35, Whit is ready for a life that put less of a strain on his body. He's banked plenty of dough but doesn't know what to do next.

. . .

About to sit down to his favorite take-out lasagna, Eddie gets a call from a friend who wants to hire him to help Whit figure out what's next in his life.

Eddie is a kinda, sorta life coach and might be able to help but seriously doubts it.

Reluctantly, he climbs aboard his friend's private jet and flies to San Antonio. Once he arrives, he ends up getting a whole lot more than he bargained for. Whit Hall is aggressive, he's angry, and he's under a lot of pressure.

It's a good thing Eddie (sorta) knows what he's doing!

. . .

Now that he's retired, Whit is looking for the next thing.

He's set, with plenty of bank. And he's doing what he can to deal with his parents, who are all up in his business. A lot.

Then, one Wednesday morning, he opens his front door. Before he knows it, Whit is chasing Eddie Smith out of his house, down the street, and even further.

It's a good thing Whit is (kinda) in shape for this new type of chase!

. . .

Neither man wants to go far...

But unexpected changes are chasing them both...

Wherever they end up going, and whatever ends up happening, this will be the beginning of something new and wonderful for them both.

. . .

This 45K word stand-alone contemporary male/male (MM) romance involves a chubby bear guy and a retired professional football player.

Included:

Some tension...

Hints of a coming-out story...

Medium-heat sexual descriptions...

Slightly nerdy details...

Some metaphysics...

And a HEA (that's a happily-ever-after)...


Not included:


Much angst...

Graphic sexual descriptions...

A cliff-hanger...


This story is the beginning of a series of contemporary romantic adventures. It ends with the start of one of those, so there are some loose plot points but no cliff-hanger.

Topics: virgin, virgin hero, out for you, first time romance, mid-life transformation, innocent first timer, late bloomer


. . .


Golden Gate Love Stories are all about the lives and loves of men who fall in love with each other and find the one they were waiting for.

Set in the same universe as the Nick Williams Mystery Series and the Daytona Beach Book Series, these love stories focus on the men who come together, find true love, and really do live happily ever after.

Review 

My Rating - 4 Stars!

Chasing Eddie's an interesting May to December romance by Frank W Butterfield. From the start, I feel for these two amazing men.

Oh man, Whit. I was instantly enamored by the former football player. His controlling family, with their religious beliefs, make it tough for him to be himself. Thus, he's still in the closet at the age of 35. 

Eddie. Ahhh, Eddie. He's a sweetie, he's unique, and he's definitely a different kind of guy. A new age type life coach, he's overweight and firm in his ways, at the age of 52. I adore everything about him.

This is a story of taking control of your own life, living it on your own terms, and doing what makes you happy. After 35 years of doing what others want him to do, it's beautiful to see Whit taking charge of his own life. 

The age gap is great, along with the physical differences. It's always fun when such physical opposites are attracted to one another. And the age gap is explored perfectly.

The religious aspect is prominent, so avoid if that's a turn off for you. It's well scrutinized, as Whit's father is a preacher, and he was raising believing in abstinence.

I'm an avid fan of stories consisting of closeted athletes, so this one definitely hit the mark for me. The romance is a slow burn and the heat factor is low. 

And Big Bertha, oh how I love Big Bertha. I don't want to give anything away, so just read.

Chasing Eddie is a fun romance. A Christian falling for a new age type is an intriguing idea, and Frank Butterfield does a wondeful job of developing this tale. The men are likeable, the plot is realistic, and the delivery is great. I definitely enjoyed this one.

Excerpt

He looked at me for a long moment. His violet eyes got more focused and I wondered what was going on in that head of his with its tufted hair on top and strange gray streaks.

I could feel my attraction for him suddenly come front and center. Like always happened, my knees got a little weak and my mouth got dry.

I held his gaze for as long as I could, wondering what was really going on. I knew what I wanted to happen. I wanted something... Like a kiss or more. I was pretty sure he'd been watching me as if he was attracted to me. His eyes always went to my belly, which was a tell-tale sign. Right then, however, his violet eyes were drilling into mine.

As always, I started doubting myself. Maybe I was mis-reading him entirely. Maybe he was just a friendly straight guy. As we looked at each other, all of those thoughts, and more, ran through my head.

Of course, I'd been hired by Bob to do a job and kissing Whit wasn't in the job description. And it wasn't ethical for me to kiss him. Not that I adhered to some sort of written code of ethics. I just didn't think it was respectful of Whit as a client, even though he really wasn't my client, but that was splitting hairs.

Nevertheless, I was tempted to put my left hand around his waist, but I was afraid how he would react. It was hard to be around a big scaredy-cat who might bite, and hard, at any moment.

So, with all that going through my mind, I stood perfectly still and examined the violet in his eyes, something that was remarkable to look at.

And then, suddenly, it was over.

He turned and looked at the river. After another few seconds, he leaned against one of the trees and crossed his arms. "Knowing this is here is enough to get me to stay."

"Oh?" I asked, wishing I had some water to drink.

He cleared his throat. "Yeah. I talked to my business manager about putting the house up for sale. He thinks I could make a profit on it, considering that I owned it."

I looked over at the river, not wanting to show him what I thought of that idea. But, somehow, he knew I had an opinion.

"What?"

"I guess I would never think of paying a premium on a house because a football player had lived there. Not one like that one. You've got a historical marker, after all."

He didn't say anything. I looked over at him. He was staring out at the river.

"I tried to get the city to let me remove that thing—"

"What!" I couldn't help myself.

He looked at me, frowning. Shrugging, he said, "Well, I don't give a shit about how old it is or who lived in it."

"Well, then, why the hell did you buy it?"

He leaned forward, aggressively. "I didn't buy it. My mother did."

I leaned back. "Oh."

He took a deep breath and then said, "Sorry. I promised Ossler I wouldn't do that again."

I knew what he meant, but I wanted to hear him say it. "Do what?"

"Get in your face." He did look contrite which, on him, was really cute.

"Thanks, Whit."

He looked down at me and smiled a little. "No sweat, Coach."

I grinned and shook my head.

He laughed and then patted his belly. "OK. Now, I'm hungry."

"Me too."

Author Bio

Although Frank worships San Francisco, he lives at the beach on another coast. Born on a windy day in November of 1966, he was elected President of his high school Spanish Club in the spring of 1983. After moving across these United States like a rapid-fire pinball, he now makes his home in a hurricane-proof motel, built in 1947, with superior water pressure. While he hasn't met any dolphins personally, that invitation is always open. 

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