Your Kind of Man (HeavyLoad! #2) by J.J. Harper

 

Amazon Link   - Available in KU  

Goodreads Link

Jem Hayes has a penchant for lacy underwear and makeup.
Nate Allinson likes pretty men and spanking, preferably at the same time.

He doesn’t want a man for more than a scene.
He doesn’t want a warm body for more than one night.
He doesn’t want “more.”

Until Jem.

With his slim body and beautiful face, Jem pushes every one of Nate’s buttons.
After one night of passion and an empty bed in the morning, Nate knows Jem is the one.
Running out was the dumbest thing Jem could have done. He felt the connection but bolted all the same.

Fate brings them back together, but their relationship is put to the test when Jem’s ex returns.
Can Nate’s love heal Jem from his abusive past?

Your Kind Of Man is an MM romance and book two in the HeavyLoad! Series. It contains lots of lacy panties, numerous spankings, and plenty of sexy shenanigans.

The book can be read as a standalone but will be enhanced by reading book #1 My Kind of Man.

Warning: This book contains a small amount of violence.

My Rating - 4.5 Stars!

Your Kind of Man is the second book in the Heavyload! series by JJ Harper. Book one, My Kind of Man, started the fun off with a hot age play read. This time we get a Daddy relationship that's not your typical Daddy read. 

The series can be read as standalones, but the characters are all friends and appear in each others books, so just read them all and enjoy!

Jem and Nate's story is hot from the start. These two definitely have some amazing chemistry. But their relationship isn't all easy going. 

Everything starts with a scene between them, and continues when they run into one another again. They naturally work scenes together well, and both find it all extremely hot. 

Neither man is looking for a relationship, but everything just sort of leads them in that direction. 

Jem is a pretty boy who loves lace, some makeup, fancy clothes, and heels. He's also a boy who's last relationship was abusive and has left him insecure about himself. He needs a Daddy in real life, and Nate is willing to try. But he struggles between being a Daddy versus a Dom. The angst that this brings about is natural and well explored, including the way Jem's past affects him with Nate.

I am impressed with the way the Daddy versus Dom is developed. It's not something I have read much of, and I found it interesting, as well as compelling. The result of their journey is some major character growth. 

Jem and Nate are intense with their love. Their need, want, and connection jumps off the pages. 

This tale has a major off page trigger, so avoid if rape is a hard no for you. 

Your Kind of Man is a beautiful tale of learning to balance your boy's needs. JJ Harper perfectly explores the fine line between being a boy's Dom versus being his Daddy. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a unique Daddy romance. 

RELEASE BLITZ, EXCERPT, GIVEAWAY & REVIEW - Strawberry Kisses by Charlie Novak

Release Blitz, Excerpt & Giveaway:

Strawberry Kisses by Charlie Novak

Patrick’s To Do List:
1. Tell family I’m gay
2. Make giant cake for anniversary party
3. Convince Connor to be my fake boyfriend for the weekend
4. Try to keep my hands off Connor
5. Make sure Connor doesn’t find out I’ve been in love with him for the last three years

Connor’s Steps for Success:
1. Perfect pole routine for Chrome Stars
2. Continue search for perfect music
3. Survive weekend with Patrick’s family without mauling him while sharing a bed
4. Prevent feelings from exploding like a glitter bomb
5. Make sure Patrick doesn’t find out I’ve been in love with him forever

Strawberry Kisses is a 78,000 word standalone, contemporary MM romance featuring a sweet pastry chef, sassy pole dancer, a nosy but loving family, fabulous make-up, fluffy feels, and copious amounts of cake.

Universal Link

Goodreads

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My Rating - 4.5 Stars!

Awww...Strawberry Kisses is a super sweet fake boyfriend romance. Charlie Novak will leave you with a cavity after reading this friends to lovers romance. 

Patrick and Connor are two best friends who secretly love one another. When they pose as fake boyfriends for a family party, the real fun begins. 

The careers are a great addition to this story. One's a pastry chef, the other a dance teacher. Each career is discussed a lot, fully being a part of this tale. 

I love these men. Both are so clueless that the other is madly in love with them. Oh Connor. I adore that he's small, yet loud. He wears makeup and heels and loves to be the top. It's awesome the way his personality flies off the pages. And Patrick, awww, Patrick. Coming out to his parents is a big deal to him. He is Connor's complete opposite, shy and quiet. I love and adore their opposite personalities. 

I love Patrick's family. They truly are amazing. They're supportive and loving. But they set off a chain of events that the two can't escape. 

Written in alternating 1st person pov, both men fully come to life, unique personalities, as well as feelings. The pace is great, the flow nice, and the tone pleasant. The author will make you hungry with the pastry talk, and you'll fall in love with the great cast of friends and family. 

Everything about Strawberry Kisses is beautifully fluffy. This Charlie Novak tale will leave you delightful, from their secret feelings, to some awkward moments, to romantic declarations. It's the perfect low angst, feel good romance. 

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Release Blitz Excerpt:

Connor

He tilted his head slightly, and suddenly his lips met mine in a gentle kiss. It was almost uncertain, and for a fraction of a second, my body stilled as it tried to process what the fuck was going on. Except I couldn’t process anything. I could barely even breathe because Patrick was kissing me.

Patrick was kissing me.

His lips were warm and soft and more perfect than anything I’d ever felt. I wanted to live in this moment forever or encase it in my memory so I’d never forget it.

My mouth pressed back against his. Time slowed to a crawl.

And then the kiss was over and nothing in the world would ever be the same again.

I stared at him as we broke apart. My heart was racing, my mouth opening and then closing again as no words came out. I couldn’t believe he’d kissed me. Especially here, in front of his entire family.

And now I had to pretend my entire universe hadn’t just exploded into a billion new star systems and that this was a totally normal and absolutely non-special thing because Patrick and I kissed all the time. I mean, we were dating, why wouldn’t we suck face at every possible opportunity?

Except that sounded weird and gross because that was exactly the opposite of what had just happened.

Sure, I wouldn’t turn down the opportunity to make out with Patrick. And if that happened to come with a side of groping, grinding, and getting naked, I would be starkers before you could say go. But that kiss was different; it was tender and affectionate. The sort of kiss you might give someone you loved…

Which made my head spin even more because that made no flipping sense.

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Enter the Giveaway:

To celebrate Charlie's new release, we are giving 2 lucky winners the chance to win e-copy of Strawberry Kisses directly to their Kindle and 1 lucky winner will win a $20/£20 Amazon Gift Card & a e-copy of Strawberry Kisses!

Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance to win!

A Rafflecopter Giveaway

Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/cc0f2a5797/?

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Charlie lives in England with her husband and a dachshund named Biscuit. She spends most of her days wrangling other people’s words in her day job and then trying to force her own onto the page in the evening.

She loves cute stories with a healthy dollop of fluff, plenty of delicious sex, and happily ever afters — because the world needs more of them. Charlie also believes that loves comes in all shapes and sizes.

Charlie has very little spare time, but what she does have she fills with cooking, pole-dancing, reading and ice-hockey. She also thinks that everyone should have at least one favourite dinosaur…

Connect with Charlie:

Website: https://charlienovak.com/
Newsletter https://charlienovak.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/charlienovakauthor/
Bookbub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/charlie-novak
Twitter https://twitter.com/charlienwrites
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/charlienwrites/
Facebook Group, Charlie's Angels https://www.facebook.com/groups/charlienovaksangels/

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Rhone's Rebel (The Road To Rocktoberfest #5) by T.L. Travis

 

Amazon Link - Available in KU
Goodreads Link

Rhone Horne, drummer for the band Embrace the Fear, bleeds rock ‘n roll. Being the son of legendary drummer Sage Horne, the first time Rhone picked up his father’s old drumsticks, he knew he was destined to follow in his footsteps. But filling such big shoes would not come easily.

Ely Pearcy, made a promise to himself on his eighteenth birthday that he would never again hide who he was. His love of lace, silk, and six-inch heels got him banned from his childhood home the day he graduated high school. Alone and penniless, Ely sought solace in a local LGBTQA+ shelter amongst his peers.

Rhone’s Rebel is the 5th book in the multi-author Road To Rocktoberfest series. Each book can be read as a standalone, but why not stay and enjoy the whole show? If you like scorching tales of hot rock stars and the men who love them, then you’ll adore the untamed musicians of Rocktoberfest!

Rhone’s Rebel takes place between Derek’s Destiny, book 2 and Jaxson’s Nemesis, book 3 of the Maiden Voyage series.

My Rating - 5 Stars!

Rhone's Rebel, the fifth book in The Road to Rocktoberfest, is a fun rocker romance. As TL Travis' contribution to this multi-author series, we get yet another great look into this rock festival and all the men involved. 

Rhone and Ely certainly don't make a typical couple. Rhone's the hot rocker. Ely's the makeup wearing, androgynous chef on the tour. Both men are at the start of their careers. Rhone trying to make it big with his band while Ely's trying to graduate culinary school and start his career as a chef. 

The opposites factor is large for these two. Ely's backstory and lack of self esteem broke my heart. The poor young man believed every word his father ever spat his way. His anxiety attacks are fully brought to life, with the reader easily feeling his pain. Meanwhile Rhone is far from being on his own. Not only does he have a large support system with his music friends, but his family is wonderful too.  

I love the way Rhone cares for Ely and wants to help him. Ely's need for independence is definitely annoying, but also understandable.

As for the physical aspect, good god, the attraction is strong. Ely's virgin status and lack of sexual knowledge adds a lot of heat to their story. Add in some lace manties and wow. I seriously enjoyed the steam!

As I've come to expect from this author, the writing is fabulous. I was immediately draw to the men and their stories. The character development is marvelous and their storyline is emotional and compelling. The reader is easily brought into every thought and emotion throughout, including those suffocating anxiety attacks. 

Overall, Rhone's Rebel is a wonderful romance by TL Travis. I love everything about this book and look forward to reading it again. And, omg, the author left us with a sneak treat of what's to come in the next book. I can't wait. 

Hellion (415 Ink #3) by Rhys Ford

Dreamspinner Press Link

Amazon Link

Goodreads Link

Blurb

From the moment SFPD Detective Ruan Nicholls meets Ivo Rogers, he knew the tattoo artist was going to bring chaos to his neat orderly life. A hellion down to the bone, Ivo is someone Ruan not only doesn’t understand but isn’t even sure he needs to. Everything about Ivo is vibrant, brash, cocky and arrogant and Ruan wants no part of him.

Or at least that’s the lie he tells himself when he damps down his desire for the social wild child life tosses into his path.

For Ivo Rogers, his life revolves around two things; his family and 415 Ink, the tattoo shop he co-owns with his four brothers. His family might be stitched together by their battle scars from growing up in foster care but their brotherhood was tight—and strong enough to hold Ivo together during the times when he fell apart.

Now Ivo faces a new challenge when he falls for a cop with an old-school mentality on what a man looks and acts like. Ruan is the promise of a life Ivo thought he’d never have but their thunderous clashes threaten any chance of a relationship. Being the family’s hellion makes it easy to be misunderstood yet Ivo has faith Ruan will not only embrace who he is but love him as well.

Review 

My Rating - 5 Stars!

Hellion, the third book in the 415 Ink series, is an extraordinary novel by Rhys Ford. If you haven't read the previous books, don't worry, this one is easy to follow as a standalone.

Ivo is a complex and sympathetic character. His love interest is the cop who found him years ago. Ruan doesn't want to love Ivo, but he can't stay away from the younger man.

I love the way the two men complement and complete one another. A cop and a tattoo artist, yes please.  Ruan's a tough, strong cop, and Ivo's a tattoo artist with feminine features, while also being masculine.

These are two men from different times and with vastly different experiences. The author beautifully explores the struggle for an older man to be out and free now. Having hid his sexuality for his whole life, remembering a time when it was too dangerous to be out, Ruan painfully struggles with being with the out and femme Ivo. 

Their story is raw, real, and very heavy. It is not an easy read. But it's a wonderful one. They are two men who can save each other. Ruan allows Ivo to accept love and steadiness in his life. Ivo challenges Ruan to accept the freedom to be who you are, in addition to putting some color into his mundane life.

The writing is amazing, with two complex characters and a multi-layered story. She is almost poetic in her descriptions, in this tale of accepting and understanding each other's wants and needs. Ivo's way of dress is in conflict with Ruan's views, and causes a lot of conflict between the men. Ruan has to figure out if he can accept Ivo's presence and level of outness, despite it going against everything with which he's comfortable.

Hellion is an exquisite story of taking a chance. I love this amazing May to December, opposites attract romance. It's a powerful tale of being honest with oneself.

Until I Met You (Just the Way You Are Book 2) by Abigail Kade

Amazon Link

Goodreads Link

Blurb

James- “Until I met you, I never knew how lonely I really was.”

James Eldridge has lived his entire life taking care of others, like his free spirit of a
brother and later his teenage nephews. For James, his needs have always come last for the good and safety of his family. When forty comes knocking and he meets a bright, glittering ray of sunshine named Ethan, he finally realizes just how alone he’s been. But old habits die hard, and James places himself firmly in the role of protector once again. Love just wasn’t his to have. Never again would he put someone he cared for at risk for his own desires, no matter how much he truly wanted to hold on and never let go.

Ethan- ”Until I met you, I never knew what I needed to finally feel whole again”

From an early age, life taught Ethan O’Leary some hard lessons. Parents weren’t permanent. Death could come suddenly and without warning. And love wasn’t ever going to work out for him. At sixteen, his best friend’s family took him in after his beloved Gran passed suddenly. But as much as he loved them, it was never home. Now, at twenty-seven, Ethan lives his life out loud, bright as a peacock and just as showy. He’s made peace with the hole in his heart. Then, straight-laced, over-cautious James walks into his life and a different future beckons him. But James fights the idea of a happily-ever-after between them, so Ethan must decide between fighting for their happiness or just letting go.

Fortunately, Ethan’s not alone in his battle to win James’s heart. With the help of a dating app, the Eldridge boys, the McDaniel Clan and a few surprises, it might just be possible for these two polar opposites to finally meet in the middle. If only James would just quit being an idiot.

Review 

My Rating - 5 Stars!

First of all, let's all just take a moment to appreciate the cover for Abigail Kade's Until I Met You. Cause, seriously, just swoon. And, luckily for all of us readers, the story is just as swoon-worthy.

I feel for Ethan immediately. He's just so damn loveable and his story is fantastic. A beautiful femme man who wears skirts, fishnets, heels, and makeup? Oh hell yes! And his personality is just as grand.

And James, damn, he's such an amazing, supportive, and caring man. James is that character who's sacrificed all his personal happiness for others. He's spent the past four years raising his nephews, and not living for himself. 

There's a whole lot of angst and heavy undertones to this story. Ethan's on the run from trouble, with James there to help him. A natural caregiver, James is the perfect man to step up and protect Ethan. As for James, the backstory of him and his nephews is raw and heart-breaking. I love the way it's developed and executed. 

As for Ethan and James, let's just say they make for a great couple. I love the differences in them, not just with their looks, but also their ages and personalities. And my personal favorite is their fun banter. 

At it's heart, this is a beautiful story of love and acceptance. In James, Ethan's found someone who he can be himself with, with no worries or apologies. James loves Ethan as he is. And James has found a man who is worth taking a chance on. 

Both men have issues to work through, and it's a worthwhile journey for the readers. One of the most touching aspects of the story however, is James' scars. As a man who struggles with his scars, James has found a gift in Ethan, who treats his scars so tenderly, accepting the man as he is.

That said, Until I Met You is a beautiful story of two men who are unique on the outside finding love and acceptance in one another. It's sweet, tender, and inspiring that they both find someone who appreciates them as they are.

I love Abigail Kade's Just The Way You Are series and look forward to the next book. And don't miss out on the first book, Until The Stars Fall, which is also spectacular.

Unwrapping Ainsley by Gianni Holmes

Amazon Link

Goodreads Link

Blurb

I wasn’t even back for ten minutes and I was already getting into the polite habit of ‘please sir’, ‘no, thank you’ and ‘do you want me on all fours sir?'

Ainsley-With-The-Attitude has learned how to take care of himself the tough way. The former high school fat-shamed kid has developed into a beautiful swan...one who struts the runway as both male and female. For the first time in almost four years, Ainsley is on his way back home to spend Christmas with his family, but everything is already going downhill. The boyfriend he had hoped to bring home with him has broken off their relationship.

You know, for a guy who needs my help as much as I need his, you sure keep pushing my buttons

When Ainsley eavesdrops on the conversation of a plain-looking man at the airport and learns he is in the same predicament, he decides they can scratch each other's backs. Until he realizes there’s a lot more that he wants scratched...

You’re not really my type, kid. Nobody will ever fall for that.

Will’s too old for all this technology. He should have known he would be catfished the one attempt he makes to date online. Lucky for him, he doesn’t have to feel embarrassed when the boyfriend he bragged about doesn't show up for Christmas. Because he’s got a hotter, more beautiful pretend boyfriend that suits his needs just fine to get his family off his back. But Ainsley’s too cute, too sassy, and with ASSets Will can’t keep his hands off.

As the two meet each other's families under the pretext of a fake relationship, will Ainsley allow Will to unwrap the layers covering his heart? Or will his disagreement with his family drive him to protect his heart from Will's love?

Unwrapping Ainsley is a M/M age-gap fake boyfriend holiday romance.

Review 

My Rating - 5 Stars!

Unwrapping Ainsley, by Gianni Holmes, is a great fake boyfriend Christmas romance. 

After a random airport meeting, Ainsley and Will become fake boyfriends.  Making things even more fun is an age difference between them. What follows is a fantastic tale of finding love again.

They might seem like an odd couple, but they work in so many ways, with each giving the other one what he needs. 

I'm not sure I could love Ainsley any more than I do. He's an androgynous model who is just such a fantastic character. He's super fun, full of snarky comments and a whole lot of sass. But, deep down he's full of pain. He completely reminds us that confidence can be faked. He's written with a lot of depth and is truly a joy to get to know.

Will is also a super character. Having lost his husband, he's still struggling with moving on with his life. He's a great support to Ainsley. And don't forget he wears plaid! Will's family is a great addition to the story, adding a whole lot of heart and a sense of strong family. The reader is fully brought into the feeling of Christmas with this group. 

But, best of all is the difference for Will between sex with his ex and sex with Ainsley. It's intriguing, written in a manner that's exquisite and gripping. The chemistry between Will and Ainsley is real and magnetic. And Will's new explorations with Ainsley are amazing to read. I love that it's hot but yet always respectful of his ex.

One of my favorite parts, however, is the way that Will accepts that there's different types of love in the world. This is wonderfully developed and explored.

And, oh how I love Cotton!

Overall, it's a tender story of overcoming grief and guilt, and finding a way to love again. It's an insta-lust, followed by a very quick love. It's fun, flirty, hot and romantic. I loved it all and found it to be completely riveting.

I highly recommend this Gianni Holmes gem. Unwrapping Christmas will definitely leave you feeling good.