Chasing Cain (Hiscock #1) by Megs Pritchard

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Archer Hiscock’s much needed vacation turns into something so much more. The sun, sea, and sand he expects, but Cain Jonas is the icing on the cake. He is everything Archer wants in a man, but vacation romances don’t last forever. Or so Archer thought until a wedding throws his life into turmoil.

Now both men have to face the family connection they have and decide whether their attraction can overcome those barriers.

Do they ignore what started on vacation and try to remain friends, or throw caution to the wind and give in to the heat that burns between them?


Chasing Cain is a GFY, step-sibling MM romance with plenty of smoking hot sexy times and a Walter who has no filter and says what he wants, when he wants.

My Rating - 5 Stars!

Chasing Cain is a wonderful book by Megs Pritchard. The first book in the Hiscock series, it's a compelling forbidden romance. 

It took a little while, but I found myself fully consumed by this book. Discovering that Archer and Cain are stepbrothers brings everything to life, and I found myself all in. I lived and breathed this book, unable to put it down. 

Their relationship is beautiful, full of tenderness and emotion. I absolutely love them together. But the conflict is ever present and naturally so. I enjoy the way everything unfolds, and love the ending.

I was excited about this whole story, and couldn't get enough of these men and their families. The parents are great and Walter is definitely a unique character. They don't get much more blunt than Walter. 

Chasing Cain is a riveting read. Megs Pritchard doesn't disappoint in this fabulous stepbrother romance. 

Working Out the Kinks by Misha Horne

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Blurb

Mistakes aren't supposed to feel this good...

I learned early on that pretty much everything in life is a scam, and love's at the top of the list. Easy to fake, maximum payout, and people just never stop falling for it. Watching my mom break hearts and empty bank accounts as we bounced from house to house taught me just how dangerous feelings could be. That's a whole lot of hassle I don't need.

These days, I stick to three basic rules. I don’t take something just because I want it. I don’t ask for help, even if I need it. And I never look twice at a guy who has a bigger bank account than I do. I know where those things can get you, and it's not anywhere I need to go. I’m perfectly happy being a dive bar rock star who can barely pay his rent, chasing the dream until my time or my sanity runs out. At least, I thought I was.

Until Brett showed up.

Another thing I don’t do is think about the past. All the people I can never look in the eye again. Who know just how ugly I really am deep down. The last person I need to get mixed up with is someone on that list. The last person I need to go breaking all my rules for is the cocky, spoiled brat who used to sleep in the room across the hall.

No matter how gorgeous he is now.
No matter how filthy he is in bed.
No matter how good it feels when he says all he wants in the world is me.

Working Out the Kinks is a 98,000 word filthy forbidden romance novel about a grumpy, broken rock star who refuses to fall in love and a lonely, relentless, spoiled brat looking for someone to belong to. So much angst, so much arguing, so much spanking, and a touch of taboo. Avoid at all costs if you don’t like those things. 

Review 

My Rating - 5 Stars!

Damn! Just damn! If you enjoy stepbrother romances, be sure to check out Misha Horne's Working Out the Kinks.

Brett and Landon, two former stepbrothers, can't resist the attraction when they're reunited years later. Brett has long obsessed with the handsome rocker, Landon. 

Their backstories are well explored and definitely intriguing. Their relationship is perfectly developed throughout the story. There's a whole lot of fear and guilt, in addition to Landon hating that Brett has money.

And if the stepbrother aspect isn't hot enough, add in the spankings, the hesitation, and conflict.

I really enjoyed Working Out the Kinks. Besides being an amazing stepbrother romance, it's also just a whole lot of fun. More than just kink though, it's a beautiful story of finding that person who can satisfy your wants and needs as well as overcoming one's fear and guilt.

RELEASE BLITZ & REVIEW - One Step Back by Edie Danford

Title: One Step Back

Author: Edie Danford

Publisher: Edie Danford

Release Date: October 23, 2018

Heat Level: 4 - Lots of Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 85,000 words

Genre: Romance, Enemies-to-lovers, coworkers, workplace, stepbrothers

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Synopsis

When you fall for a guy who’s about to become your stepbrother—do you listen to
your heart and risk everything? Or listen to your head…and take one step back?

In high school I had a hundred reasons to steer clear of my soon-to-be-
stepbrother, Joe Beneventi. He was a hothead, and I was reserved. His life was football,
mine was academics. He wanted to be out and proud, and I desperately needed to keep
my orientation secret.

But when we fell in love, my heart took the wheel, and I took every risk to be with
Joe. Then one horrible night our secrets shattered. Joe disappeared—wrecking our
families and breaking my heart.

Eleven years later, I landed a challenging job at a premier PR firm. And the hotshot
publicist who’s been assigned to my first big account? Yep. It’s Joe.

Fate truly hates me because now Joe and I have three days to hole up in a
Chicago hotel room and nail down a deal that could make or break our careers. He
keeps distracting me, but I’m too jaded to fall for sexy smiles, bedroom eyes, and his
impossible-to-ignore body. Except…

I like being close to him again. A little too much. Working together 24/7 is showing
me sides of Joe I’ve never seen before.

And when we touch, being together seems like the only step worth taking.

Review 

My Rating - 4 Stars!

One Step Back is a strong second chance romance. Edie Danford manages to reunite these former lovers who were once almost stepbrothers, thus adding a fun twist to their relationship. 

Through the use of flashbacks, we get to understand the Joe and Asher relationship from eleven years ago. These flashbacks are expertly interwoven with what is happening in the present. The past scenes are fun, innocent and necessary to explain where they are now.

One Step Back is laced with romance and a whole lot of emotion. Unfortunately it also includes a whole lot of focus on their jobs, which seemed to drag a bit. That said, I still recommend this romance as Edie Danford has created a wonderful couple in Joe and Asher.

Excerpt

I take a deep breath. Gotta prepare myself for being up-close and personal with the force of nature that is Joseph Vincent Beneventi.

“Hey, Joe,” I say, my voice cracking. Not how I’d wanted to sound.

His sexy mouth curves, and I get hit with the full impact of his attention-sucking energy. It zaps across the entryway. Through the guesthouse and the five-acre yard. All of Chicagoland. The state of Illinois, the entire Midwest…

Yeah, you get the picture. Joe has it. Chemical hoodoo-voodoo oozes from his pores and makes you forget whatever it is you’re doing, whatever happened to be on your mind. And all you can do is stand there and stare at him. And listen to the ridiculous shit that comes out of his gorgeous mouth.

I’ve had to cope with this Joe-phenomenon for three years now, as long as his mom and my dad have been dating. Weekends and vacations together at first, and then mostly full time as of last year, after Kim and Bernie got engaged and bought this monstrosity of a property together.

Wedding-planning and “a home where we can be a family” was supposed to bring us stability. Wishful thinking, because things between my dad and Joe’s mom—between all of us, really—seem rockier than ever.

“Hey, you.” Joe leans against the door jamb, killer smile flashing.

He’s a big, glossy beast, and he lights up the night that I’ve tried to darken. I look away from his shining eyes, but his jacked chest and abs, his maybe-too-tight board shorts, his legs, his feet, aren’t any easier to ignore.

“Why didn’t you tell me you’d be home tonight?” he asks. His deep voice has a slight throb, like he’s actually hurt. “You didn’t answer my message. Any of my messages. I get why you didn’t want to show for my amazingly fucking boring graduation, but… I was hoping to hear about your plans. For the summer.”

He reaches up to brush damp hair from his face, the movement popping every muscle from shoulder to wrist. Matty actually sighs from behind me. I try not to notice how the longer hair and the scruff on his chin make Joe look hotter than his usual smoking hellfire.

He spent his senior year at a therapeutic high school here in the Chicago area and the place didn’t demand buzz-cuts the way the military school did. The longer black waves do amazing things for his cheekbones, his squared-off chin, his sin-dark eyes.

I’m supposed to be saying something. So I open my mouth and a lame excuse comes out. “I wasn’t sure about flight times. Until the last minute. Storms in New York.”

He nods, head tilting as he scrutinizes my features. He wants to believe me even though it’s obvious I’m lying. The sky had been clear when I’d jetted away from LaGuardia, my freshman year of college complete.

I’d been avoiding all contact with Joe since Christmas break. I’d figured he’d understand why I didn’t respond to any of his messages today. Or at least take the hint. Hey, Joey, after I don’t answer your two-hundredth-and-seventieth voicemail, maybe that means I don’t want to communicate with you. But Joe is thick in more ways than one.

His dark eyes get warmer as they take me in, the dimple in his right cheek popping. His thumb traces the sand-dollar tattoo under his left nipple, a move I’m sure he’s making unconsciously. I do the same thing sometimes. I have a matching tattoo; we’d gotten them in Mexico during Christmas vacation two years ago. The ’rents had been very confused when both of us suddenly wore rash guards 24/7 for the rest of the break. Joe had come up with a BS-but-brilliant excuse about stingray sightings and the angle of the sun and the chemicals in sunscreen lotion killing off coral reefs.

And, okay. I’m not being fair. Joe isn’t thick. He’s probably smarter than me. He just doesn’t know how to rein in a lot of the bad shit that constantly roams his head. I’ve actually tried to help him figure out some stuff, given him some pointers about how to focus and prioritize—

There’s a crashing noise from the pool area. More shit breaking.

“Fuck,” he mutters, looking over his shoulder.

“You better get back there. Broken glass. Blood. Nastiness. It’s all gonna happen.”

He sighs—a shudder wracking his six-five frame. “Should’ve never invited anyone over.” His smile is crooked. “Your fault. I wouldn’t have had to get up to shenanigans with Bran and Troy if I’d known you’d be here tonight.”

And, there it is.

The reason why he always, always manages to piss me off. I’m not responsible for him. Not responsible for his feelings, for his actions. I refuse to be.

“Not my fault,” I say, my voice cracking again, damn it. I take a step backward, my hand pulling the door closed.

“Asher, come on. You know I didn’t mean it like that—”

I shut the door in his face. Then I pull the blinds closed, blocking out his beauty, blocking out his hurt expression. Maturity can go fuck itself, because literally closing off Joe from my senses will be the only way I can survive the summer.

“Wow,” Matty says.

“Yeah,” I agree.

It’s probably a few hours later when something jolts me awake. It’s Joe looming over me. I must’ve passed out after Matty left. I’m sprawled on the big chaise in the guesthouse’s living room, Joe standing so close his knees are touching the cushion’s edge.

There’s only one light on, a yellow glow coming from the glass-fronted cabinet that displays Joe’s shell collection. It creates weird, streaky shadows across his super-defined chest and abs.

His shorts are dry now, not as tight on his thighs or his package, but I can see he’s erect, a righteous bulge that’s impossible to miss. And, when I look up into his face, my gaze snags on his parted lips, his heavy-lidded eyes .

The house is quiet. No more party outside. When Joe inhales suddenly, I can feel the sharpness of his breath in my own lungs.

I sit, swinging my legs to the side of the chaise, planting my feet on either side of his. He takes my face in his hands. His fingers are warm, familiar, his touch so tender it makes me want to cry.

And, God, when our gazes connect, and I immediately fall into that dark brown and gold I dream about, tears clog my throat, for real.

“Ash,” he whispers, his voice so hoarse I can barely hear it. The pad of his thumb passes over my lower lip. I lick away the taste of him and he sighs. “Damn, I missed you.”

I nod. I can’t speak. It hurts.

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Meet the Author

Edie lives in Vermont with her husband, two sons, and random creatures that might or might not be pets. She loves libraries (where she's found play, work, and love since she was a kid), long walks (unless ice is involved), lewd language (in the right context), luscious romance (of any variety), and alliteration.

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Lovefool by Ian Lewis

Amazon Link

Goodreads Link

BLURB

“Will he give me a second chance?”Dr. Kent King left home to attend medical school, and to experience life on his own. He also left behind his first love, and he’s never forgotten the sizzling chemistry they shared. Offered the job of his dreams, he returns home excited to be making a difference providing medical care to the less fortunate. Will the blue-eyed man he can't forget be able to forgive him for leaving in the first place?

Never able to forget his first love, Erik Rhoads struggles to keep his head above water. Like a turtle he retreats into his shell when tragedy strikes. Unable to cope with his feelings or the people who care for him the most, he hits rock bottom. A true survivor, he will pick himself up, shake the dust off, and begin the process of becoming whole again. But will his heart survive the return of the only man he’s ever loved?

Lovefool is a second chance gay romance novel about a Doctor who lives to help others and the man he can never forget. It’s a steamy tale of love with a guaranteed HEA.

REVIEW 

My Rating - 4 Stars!

Lovefool is a fun romance by Ian Lewis.

Growing up, Kent and Eric dated, and even spent some time living together while their parents dated. But it's been years since they've seen each other.

As they meet up again, they are both still attracted to each other, and are both confused. In addition, Eric's still grieving the loss of his mom, and he's a complete mess. He's isolated himself and is terrified to open up his heart again. Eric's story will pull at your heartstrings. 

As the two young men work their way back to each other, they have some complications to deal with, misunderstandings, and a crazy ex. But the whole time, you can just feel their connection and love for each other.

Lovefool is a sweet and romantic second chance love story. I definitely recommend this Ian Lewis novel for anyone who loves this trope. As for me, I will be looking out for more of Ian's books.

Risk Taker by Lily Morton

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Blurb

Being in love with your best friend is hard.

Henry’s the odd man out. All his friends are settling down, and his reputation as the Hook-Up King of London seems more like a curse than a blessing these days. Especially when it keeps photojournalist Ivo, his best friend and the brilliant man he’s loved since they were fifteen, at arm’s length. But that’s where Ivo wants him, right? Putting aside his feelings, Henry decides to give up casual sex and look for the real deal. After all, he has no chance with Ivo - or does he?

Henry is everything to Ivo. Best friend, soul mate, the one person who has never let him down. The one person he is loyal to above everything and everyone. But Henry’s in a box marked best friend and that’s where Ivo’s kept him for nearly twenty years, despite steadily falling in love with the gentle man. And besides, why would Henry want to date Ivo? Burned out and injured, he’s the walking embodiment of damaged.

Distance has helped Henry and Ivo keep a lid on their attraction, but when they find themselves in the same city for a change—Ivo hurt and needing assistance, and Henry more than willing to provide it—the two best friends grow closer than ever, forcing a realization, and a decision. Risk their friendship for their hearts? Or can they have both?

From the bestselling author of Rule Breaker and Deal Maker comes a tender love story about two best friends who are perfect for each other, and always have been - if only they knew it.

This is the third book in the Mixed Messages series, but it can be read as a standalone.


REVIEW
My Rating - 5 Stars!

What a wonderful love story! Risk Taker, by Lily Morton is fantastic!

From the very beginning, the mood had me riveted. I instantly fell for Henry and Ivo. Henry's father was vile but Ivo stood up in support of Henry during their first meeting.

They were step-brothers for a short time, during which they became best friends. They spent many years apart though, seeing each other only briefly in between Ivo's photography assignments.

Ivo has now returned to their home, which was left to them together by Henry's father, after Ivo has been shot. As in the past, both men secretly love the other, but refuse to take a chance and tell the other, due to some past events.

Both push people away, one with words, one with distance. But it has always been the two of them against the world. Now that they are physically together for a while, others are trying to show them that they belong together. Both are terrified to lose their best friend if something goes wrong though, but if they take the risk, they might find the best thing that's ever happened to them.

One of the best parts of this romance is the snark, wit and banter between the men. It's seriously some of the best stuff ever! Just be warned that you'll be laughing out loud, so be aware of your surroundings.

Risk Taker is beautifully written, with so damn much heart and feeling. The connection between the men is so strong and emotional. I highly recommend this story by Lily Morton!