WOMEN'S FICTION - The Other Mrs. Samson by Ralph Webster

 

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Surviving two wars, sharing one husband, searching for answers...

A hidden compartment in a black lacquer cabinet left in an attic reveals the secrets of two incredible women: Hilda, born and raised in one of the wealthiest Jewish families in turn-of-the-century San Francisco, and Katie, whose early life in Germany is marked by tragedy and death. Their lives are forever entwined by their love of the same man, the brilliant and compassionate Dr. Josef Samson.

From the earliest, rough-and-tumble days of San Francisco, through the devastation of the Great War in Berlin and the terrors of Vichy France, and then to a new yet uncertain life in New York City, their stories span the most tumultuous events of the twentieth century. In the end, one of these women will complete the life of the other and make a startling discovery about the husband they share.

My Rating - 3.5Stars!

Ralph Webster's The Other Mrs Sampson is an intriguing story. But I definitely have mixed feelings regarding it. 

This is the story of letters discovered that follows Josef, Hilda, and Katie. Most of this story is from Hilda and Katie's perspective, told through their letters and journal. This is mostly their stories, as they talk about love, family, and war.   

Their story is full of twists and turns. Covering the gold rush in San Francisco, the aftermath of WWI, the Great Depression, WWII, and more, the history jumps off the pages. 

And ultimately, the story ends with a surprising revelation. It leaves the reader with a "well darn!" kind of feeling. 

I enjoy the story as a whole, and like the ending, but I am left with wanting more. Of what? I don't know. I just know I found myself distracted at times. At some parts, I was completely riveted. Others found me with my thoughts drifting. I can't put my finger on it, but some parts are definitely more interesting than others. 

Overall, The Other Mrs Samson is an entertaining read. Ralph Webster includes a huge taste of history in this tale which I definitely appreciate. It's easy to read, but I don't know who I would recommend it to. 

Finn's Fantasy (Maine Men #1) by K.C. Wells

 

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A secret desire

By day, Finn builds houses on the coastline of Maine. Afterhours, Finn dreams of the hot older guy who walks his chocolate lab on Goose Rocks Beach. The man of his dreams ticks all his boxes. Salt and pepper hair. Strong jawline. Blue eyes.
His dream man is perfect fantasy material. As for actually speaking to him?
As if. Their paths won’t ever cross, and the guy is probably straight.

A new chapter

Recently divorced Joel is finally living as a gay man, but he’s not sure he’s ready to jump into a relationship. That doesn’t stop him from noticing his new contractor’s muscular build, hewn from hard, physical work, or his storm-colored eyes. Or the way he wears his tool belt slung low on his hips. The icing on the cake? There’s more to Finn than good looks. Maybe he’s the perfect guy to share long walks on the beach and warm nights in front of a fire.

But it’s been twenty years since Joel was with a man. While he’s not forgotten how to flirt, he’s nervous about making a move.

Especially with Finn.

My Rating - 5 Stars!

Finn's Fantasy is a fabulous romance by KC Wells. I seriously love it all. The first book in the Maine Men series, this looks to be a fabulous series.

It's compelling from the start, with a great group of friends and plenty of banter. Damn, I can't wait to see more of them all in the future. I always enjoy a fun group of friends.

The setting is wonderful, as Wells, Maine is a beautiful beach town. Even if you haven't been there, you'll fall in love with this small town. 

Finn and Joel's romance is wonderful. Joel's newly divorced, and ready to explore his gay side. With Finn there's instant attraction and some hot first times. I adore the way the men become friends, and how perfect they are for each other. 

There are new starts for Joel in his life, career, and love life. His journey towards coming out includes the terrifying task of coming out to his kids. His son is angry at him, blaming him for the divorce. But he also doesn't know the truth. This is all wonderfully done.

One of my favorite aspects of this story is the way Joel and his ex get along so well. They are best friends and she's extremely understanding and supportive of him. 

Finn's Fantasy is a fabulous book. I love this KC Wells story. From start to finish, I couldn't put it down. I can't recommend it enough. I can't wait to see what comes next for the Maine Men!

Forbidden Ink (Get Ink'd #6) by Ali Lyda

 

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I’m not a deadbeat.
I didn’t know my kid existed before Milo showed up, but now that I do, I’m determined to keep my beautiful little Sofie in my life. Even if it means I need to spend time around her irritable uncle, Milo. The man pushes all of my buttons.

He riles me up until I can’t think of anything except kissing him. Definitely not the reaction he expects. He’s not out, but I’m not the type to hide. Is there any way to make it work for our new family?

Family means everything.
Eryk’s a cocky playboy. He’s not good enough to be my niece’s father, but unfortunately, DNA says otherwise. Father or not, I’m not about to walk out of little Sofie’s life.

Which means I have to walk into Eryk’s even though I can’t stand him. So why is he so hard to resist? I decided on a closeted life a long time ago. It’s the only way to stay safe and successful. Could I bring myself to step out of the closet if it means having the true love of a family?

My Rating - 4.5 Stars!

 

Forbidden Ink is the sixth book in the Get Ink'd series by Ali Lyda. It perfectly continues this fantastic series, but it's easily read as a standalone. 

There's a lot going on in this enemies to lovers story.

Milo and Eryk meet in an unusual way, as Milo has to bring his niece, Sofie, to meet her father, Eryk. To say that Milo hates Eryk for his reputation is an understatement. 

The enemies to lovers element definitely drives this story, as the two have so much animosity between them. Milo's jealous that Eryk is out and proud. Milo doesn't think Eryk's fit to be a father. And more.

There's custody issues, as well as attraction issues. And I love how it all develops. I adore seeing the small ways things start to change, and the ability to put the child first. 

Milo and Eryk are an interesting couple. Milo wasn't quite father material himself, but both men learn to put the child first. The chemistry between the men is too strong to ignore, and the men are certainly hot together. 

Of course, there's the elephant in the room that some readers won't be able to ignore. Cause yes, Milo is interested in the man who fathered his sister, Maya's baby. I know a lot of people who don't like someone sleeping with their sibling's ex. But, honestly, I barely felt that issue in this book. Eryk's night with her was just that. One hookup that meant nothing to him. They were never a couple. No feelings were ever involved. 

I do struggle with Milo's sister's decision to not tell Eryk that he's a father until she's on her deathbed. That is just something that always pisses me off. But, as this story isn't really about her, I can let that go. 

There's a large issue when it comes to Milo's feelings about Eryk's sexuality. His insecurities and jealousy over Eryk living openly while Milo is closeted and hiding is felt throughout. Milo's frustration and anger are well illustrated and this is a large part of his character. I appreciate where he's coming from and ultimately love the way it's all resolved. 

Forbidden Ink is a wonderful romance. Ali Lyda puts a lot of interesting issues into this story and I love it. Hell, I love anytime an actor feels forced into being closeted. Those are stories that just seem so realistic, so I definitely love that aspect. And the rest is just gravy on top!

Trusting You, Trusting Me: A Hart Security Spin Off by Jacki James

 

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I used to believe in true love and happy ever after, but my ex taught me that not all men are prince charming… and that I can’t trust myself to tell the difference.

I had a plan for my life: a husband, a couple of kids, a successful career in animal medicine. For a short time, it looked like I was going to get everything I wanted. But my prince turned into a frog, and I was left trying to navigate life as a single dad.

Then along comes Ash Southerland, and our one-night stand turns into so much more. Once again, I can see a path to the future I always dreamed of. But what if I’m wrong, and just like before I’m seeing something that isn’t real.

The longer I’m around him, the easier it is for me to believe that this time I might get it right. If he can learn to trust others after all he has been through, then surely, I can do the same.

But when family secrets from his past come to light, will our newfound love be strong enough to weather the storm?

My Rating - 5 Stars!

Trusting You, Trusting Me is a great romance by Jacki James. The title says it all. This is a story where both men need to learn to trust again, both in themselves, and each other.

I quickly feel into this book and didn't want to put it down. 

I enjoy the way Ash and Ezra meet, and adore the way everything develops for them. 

This is a tale with an instant attraction, plenty of sweetness, and trust issues. 

Their story includes some suspense and anxiety as someone is watching Ash. I enjoy the way all of this is developed and carried out. With Ash's past attack, the tension is definitely increased.

I enjoy the writing style, and I adore the men and all the lovable side characters. We get to visit with the men from Hart Security, as well as be entertained by cute kids and a sweet dog. 

Trusting You, Trusting Me is a great, low angst romance. This Jacki James read had me smiling a lot. I highly recommend it when you're in the mood for a feel-good romance, filled with adorable kids and dogs. 

The Jock by Tal Bauer

 

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Wes Van de Hoek clawed his way off his family’s West Texas ranch under the Friday night lights, earning a football scholarship to the state’s best university. Three years in, he has it all: he’s the starting tight end, team captain, and, according to ESPN, maybe the best college football player in the nation. But he’s been keeping a secret from everyone.

Justin Swanscott has three certainties in his life: he’s gay, football is overrated, and he really, really doesn’t like cowboys. He should never have fallen into Wes’s open-range eyes or let his heart run wild when Wes gave him that shy little smile over summer. But he couldn’t stop himself.

Everyone’s asking questions about Wes this season: How is he playing so well? Will Texas be undefeated this year? Will he take the team all the way to the national championship? What’s next for him?

The truth? Wes isn’t dreaming about an NFL contract. His heart belongs to Justin, even though the world wants it to belong to football.

Wes has stadiums packed with screaming fans, ESPN is all over him, and the NFL wants him badly. He’s living under a microscope, and the pressure keeps building as the team keeps winning. Everyone wants something from him, but all Wes wants is to love Justin.

Something’s gotta give. 

My Rating - 5 Stars!

Tal Bauer's The Jock is an amazing sports romance. This is a fabulous combination of college romance, sports, whirlwind romance, Paris, and coming of age. 

Basically, it's four hundred pages of awesomeness! I love this story and couldn't devour it fast enough.

A few weeks in Paris for Wes finds him falling madly in love with his roommate Justin. After a whirlwind romance, they head back to the same college in Texas. But things aren't so easy.

Wes is a closeted football player, who can't come out while on the team. His coach hits him with a motivational talk that comes at a terrible time. 

Justin, meanwhile, isn't closeted. 

Ugh, all the feels come out when they need to leave each other for a few weeks. And all the angst starts when Wes is back at school and pressured by his coach. 

All the feels. The tension. The fear. The anxiety. The doubts. The absolute terror of coming out, or being outed. The need to protect Justin at all costs. 

And this is why I love sports romances. All of Wes's fears are well founded. Sports fans are brutal. Teammates are ruthless. Everything Wes feels is absolutely based in reality. 

The pressure he feels is intense and is well illustrated. He's only at college due to his football scholarship. If he comes out and loses football, he loses his education. And his education is extremely important to him, for that is his dream. 

Omg. Everything about this book is amazing. I felt every damn emotion along with the men. The only thing I don't love is that it's written in alternating third person pov instead of first person. There are definitely times this kept me a little disconnected, but overall, the emotions are felt strongly. 

The book gutted me. Just gutted me. And that's less than a third of the way in. 

The rest of their story follows the highs and lows, the good and the bad, of their journey. The strength of their connection and love is never in doubt. But the path they need to take to get their happy ever after is in question throughout.

I love every single second of this romance. It definitely surprised me with some twists and turns I didn't see coming. I appreciate that this is a totally unique storyline to me. It's definitely not what I expected and you'd be hard pressed to find two people who fall in love so quickly or so deeply. 

The Jock is everything I love about sports romances. Tal Bauer perfectly encompasses all the pressures and demands put upon athletes to tow the line and be the star athlete. I love, love, love this book. 

Top Priority (The Game #1) by Cara Dee

 

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In a perfect world, Lucas West would meet someone in one of the BDSM communities he was active in, someone who ached for a Daddy Dom as much as Lucas longed for a Little to care for. They would date, play, build something that was just for them, and share a future together.

In a perfect world, Colt Carter would get through his next deployment and then move closer to DC where he could create at least a semblance of a personal life. He wanted something outside of the Air Force, something kinky, something worth leaving everything behind for eventually. For years, he’d kept his inner Sadist and Daddy Dom locked up, only letting him out to play on rare occasions.

In a perfect world…

In reality, Lucas and Colt met each other.

Top Priority is the first novella in The Game Series, a BDSM series where romance meets the reality of kink. Sometimes we fall for someone we don’t match with, sometimes vanilla business gets in the way of kinky pleasure, and sometimes we have to compromise and push ourselves to overcome trauma and insecurities. No matter what, two things are certain. This is not a perfect world, and life never turns out the way you planned.

My Rating - 5 Stars!

Top Priority is the first book in the amazing BDSM romance series, The Game, by Cara Dee. This is the novella that started it all. And it's awesome, perfectly setting the tone for everything that follows. 

Lucas and Colt. Awww. Both are Daddy tops who should stay far away from each other. But neither can control they way they feel about each other. The chemistry is both instant and intense. And it's fabulous!

Of course, the author has to put the men, as well as the reader, through some angst as Colt goes on deployment and Lucas is left "waiting" for him. 

I love the emotions. The longing. The need. The want. The worry. And the mature discussions that place. 

In the end, Lucas and Colt are passionately in love and certainly need to be together. I appreciate the devotion they have for one another, all while knowing they are missing that little that will complete them.

If I wasn't already in love with this book, the author then throws in the epilogues. Oh my god. I effin love the epilogues!!! 

This is a novella, so it's a short, quick read. The epilogues fast forward the timeline a long way, so there's a lot we don't see from the couple. But I'm impressed with the way the author sets the tone for what's next for these men, which is ultimately the story we need. 

Top Priority is a must read for anyone who loves unconventional kink. I'm obsessed with this Cara Dee series and the way every relationship doesn't work on paper, but the intensity prevails. It's simply wonderful! Now onto the next book...

BLOG TOUR, EXCERPT, GIVEAWAY & REVIEW - All the Way Out by Ingrid Sterling

 

BLOG TOUR

Book Title: All the Way Out

Author: Ingrid Sterling

Publisher: Literary Wanderlust

Release Date: April 1, 2021

Genre/s: Contemporary M/M Romance, New Adult

Trope/s: One-night stand turned into true love; Forced proximity; Athlete with musician; closeted sports star

Themes: Self-acceptance, coming out publicly

Heat Rating:  4 flames

Length: 79 000/263 pages

It is a standalone book.

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Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US  |  Amazon UK 

Literary Wanderlust  |  Bookshop.org

Ever since Zach was 14 years old, he knew two things about himself: 

1) He wanted to play football at the highest levels of college and pro ball. 

2) He was gay.

Even at that young age Zach knew that those two truths - all-star athlete and homosexual male - could not exist concurrently. So, he’d started dating Rebecca, his devoutly Catholic girlfriend who wants to wait to have sex until she’s married, during his junior year of high school and never looked back.

But on the last night of a team trip to Rome, on the cusp of his senior season at Northwestern University, a Heisman, a number 1 draft pick and a National Championship, Zach seeks out one last anonymous encounter. He opens Grindr and slips out into the Italian summer night to meet Liam - Liam who has a face that looks like it was carved from Carrara marble by one of the ancient greats and whose brazen facade becomes sheepish when he’s asked about his past in Paris. The night is intense, better than Zach could have imagined. But like all one-night stands, it comes to an end by morning’s light.

But what happens to Zach’s carefully manicured plans for a professional football career and a life in the closet when Liam shows up, not only on the Northwestern campus the first day of the fall semester, but in Zach’s upper-level Plato seminar, too?

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My Rating - 5 Stars!

All The Way Out is an amazing debut novel by Ingrid Sterling. As a lover of sports romances, I find this one to be absolutely riveting and perfectly charming. 

I really love this book. Everything about it works for me. But, yes, I am probably biased as it's about a closeted athlete. Love this trope!

Zach's a closeted college athlete with a long time girlfriend, Rebecca. The reader knows early on this relationship with Rebecca is for show only. One can easily feel how unattached they are. So, yes, there's cheating, but he and Rebecca are waiting for marriage, and the cheating is not in a way that it bothers me at all. 

As for Zach and Liam. I love that they hook up in Italy. Their night together is entertaining and sweet. But adding to the fun is that Liam ends up at the same school as Zach.

What follows is a beautiful romance between two people who clearly belong together. Their path isn't easy, but damn, I love them together. 

There's so much going on throughout their journey. Zach's closeted and terrified to be out as an athlete. This is a main part of his journey. The issues with his girlfriend definitely has some interesting surprises along the way. 

The author does a terrific job illustrating the pain of being a gay athlete who's unable to be themselves. I appreciate every bit of how this is handled. This is all too real and well explored. 

The writing style is fantastic, with two well developed characters who are both lovable. The feelings are laid out for the reader to easily feel all the ups and downs, all the want and need, all the pain and regret. The flow is great, the storyline is compelling. There's nothing I would change. 

All the Way Out is a wonderful coming of age romance. I adore every single moment of this Ingrid Sterling read and I can't wait to see what Ingrid writes next. 

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“What are you doing in my upper level classics seminar?” Liam snapped.

 "Um, I’m fulfilling my degree requirements,” Zach snapped back. “What are you doing in my upper level classics seminar? You live in Rome.”

 “No, I was regrouping in Rome. I’d been going to school in Paris before that but—Wait, degree requirements? You’re a Classics major? Mr. Hotshot-starting-quarterback is a Classics major?” Liam’s voice came out shriller than he would have liked.

 Zach set his hips back against the table, crossing his arms with a sudden smugness. “A Classics major focusing in Pax Romana philosophers with a 3.7 GPA, you mean? Yeah. I am. How do you think I recognized that ridiculous Metamorphoses quote on your Grindr profile?”

 “I figured you Googled it like everyone else usually did.”

 Zach’s face softened at Liam’s unintentional reveal. “Why didn’t you say anything about coming to school in the States that night?” Zach asked.

 Liam leveled him with a look. “I don’t remember us doing an awful lot of talking.”

 “We talked enough. You could have mentioned it.”

 “I’d only decided to come here a week or so before we met,” Liam explained. “I barely knew anything about Northwestern aside from the fact that it has a pretty well-respected music program. Certainly not enough to know it has some big deal football team. And besides, what were the chances?”

 “I’m not a betting man, but I definitely wouldn’t have taken these odds.” Doe-eyed panic lingered on Zach’s face even as he shifted to a more conversational tone. “So, the music school, huh? That’s cool. I remember you had music on your desk. What do you play?”

 “Piano mostly, but I’m a composition major. I added a Classics minor ‘cause I can, here. My other school didn’t offer liberal arts courses.” Zach nodded, and Liam realized it was probably his turn to attempt conversation. “A jock with a brain, then. Color me impressed.”

 Zach gave a bored lift of his shoulder. “It makes for a great human-interest story. I think every bad pun about Greek gods or Roman gladiators has been made about me at least once. The ESPN announcers think they are so fucking clever.”

 Liam stared at him. “You keep saying these things thinking I know what they mean.”

 “ESPN.” Zach gave him a patient grin. “It’s a cable sports network that shows games. You know, on the TV.”

 “Yeah, alright.” Liam’s pursed lips morphed into an unbidden smile.

 It was impossible not to note how the tension in the room had slipped away. The looks that passed between them carried a certain playfulness once they were forced to accept the inconceivable fact that they were both here in the same city, at the same school, and even in the same class. And into that ease slipped the feelings of attraction and memories of the intimacy they’d found on Liam’s mattress by the end of their night together. Liam had sought hidden parts of Zach’s body with his fingers. That small, insinuating touch, burned into his memory, had ignited such terrified want in Zach’s bright blue eyes that Liam had known that he would have been allowed to feel Zach from the inside if only they’d had more time. One more night. One more hour, even. And now here Zach was, standing before him. It was as baffling as it was thrilling. Liam certainly wouldn’t mind if they wound up hooking up again.

 “Look,” Zach started, “This is crazy that you’re here, and I hope you love your time at Northwestern as much as I have, but it’s probably for the best if we don’t interact.”

 Liam was rendered mute.

 “I mean, I know we’re in class together,” Zach continued. “We’ll have to interact, discussion grades and everything, but what I mean is, we shouldn’t be friendly.”

 “Why not?” Liam asked after another stunned beat.

 “It’s nothing personal. In fact, I think you’re—” Zach stopped. He pressed his eyes closed and shook his head sadly. He took another steadying breath before speaking again. “It would make things really difficult for me. Like I told you in Rome, no one knows about me. About me and…” He spoke the next word at a careful volume. “Men. In fact, you’re the only person on this entire campus who does.”

 Zach’s sexuality was a secret that should have bound them. But instead, Zach was using it to put a wedge between them, between even the possibility of them. Liam didn’t think the conversation could get any more ridiculous.

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I named myself "Ingrid" after a character in a story I started writing and will never finish.

I named myself "Sterling" after my dad's boyhood dreams.

I'm a Yankee who has lived south of the Mason Dixon for a decade and I use 'Y'all' without irony. I dance in my kitchen. I vote. I love all the cats in the world and a good IPA. I will scream over college sports.

I write about love, with love, because #loveislove. 

With two degrees in music performance, I strive to make my words sing. The rhythm and pacing of the prose are as important to me as my complicated, imperfect characters and my guaranteed happily-ever-afters.

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