Gay Media Reviews
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact

Blog Tour!! As The Sun Sets by RJ Jones - 5 Star Review, Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

2/28/2017

1 Comment

 
Picture
Picture
A sea change could be just what the doctor ordered.
 
Doctor Scott Penney used to be a Paediatric Oncologist—until he burned out. Watching children suffer and die took its toll on his mental health. To cope, he used anonymous sex as an emotional crutch, thinking it was better than hitting the bottle. But that inevitably destroyed his relationship with the man he loved.

​With his tail between his legs and a year’s worth of celibacy under his belt, Scott accepts a position as an Accident and Emergency consultant, leaving his career in oncology and London behind.

Ben Jenkins is a paediatric nurse who loves his seaside city, his job, and his faithful old Labrador, Happy. When he meets the new doctor, Ben falls for Scott’s kind-yet-reserved personality—not to mention his good looks. Scott is great with the children who come through the hospital, but Ben senses there’s more to Scott than meets the eye.
​
Scott tries to resist Ben’s sunny charm—Scott’s not boyfriend material, after all—but it’s impossible not to fall in love with the sad looking old dog and his charming owner. As Scott and Ben get closer and the weather heats up, tragedy strikes and Ben is left wondering how much of Scott’s history he actually knows.

For them to move forward, Ben must show Scott that no matter what happened in the past, a beautiful day can always start after the sun sets.
 
**This can be read as a standalone**

Picture
I have read some R.J..Jones books before, but I jumped at the chance to read this one, just to see if she had managed to keep the really strong emotions in her book, which I had found with previous books - and I have to say....... boy, she definitely did that. 

You really can't help but love Scott, he has chosen one of the hardest careers paths for a doctor - a paediatric oncologist.  This is one character that you really do want to reach into the book and just give him a huge hug.  After he burns himself out, he decides to give himself a chance to recover, and gets out of London, and moves to Brighton - well away from everything and I guess everyone too, especially his ex-boyfriend.

Scott gets on well with the people he works with, but he totally shuns any person who tries to get closer to him.  The only real close friend he seems to have is a dog on the beach aptly named Happy!! However, the owner of Happy is none other than the paediatric nurse from the hospital Ben.  

Ben is attracted to Scott, but is keenly aware that Scott is deliberately keeping himself apart from the others.  It takes a while, but Ben - with the help of Happy - seems to be slowly piece by piece taking down the wall Scott has built around his heart.

Just as things begin to go well, Scott's past comes back to haunt him, in the shape of his ex boyfriend, but the blunt talking to he gets from him, makes Scott realise what he has been doing, and he knows he has to change.  It is soon after Scott realises that he has fallen head over heels in love with Ben. 

However, his past has another chance to haunt Scott, and again it seems like Scott is pushing Ben away - however, Ben isn't going to be so easy to deter this time.  Will Scott ever realise that Ben wants everything, the good and the bad??  

Although I needed a tissue a time of two with this book, I really did love it.  I have no idea how the author manages to get so much emotion on each page, but she does, and this keeps me coming back for more!! 
Picture
I EXPECTED rain and clouds and the usual late spring chill, but instead the weather was warm, much like it had been yesterday. I managed to get through my shift without too much going wrong, but it wasn’t without a heavy heart, and when I pushed through the doors and into the early morning sunshine to trudge home to bed, Ben and Happy were out the front waiting for me. I stopped when I felt my phone ringing in my pocket. I pulled it out and looked at the screen.
Nope. Not today. I hit ignore and focussed on the two in front of me.
I couldn’t stop the small smile that formed on my lips even if I wanted to. “Hey there,” I said, squatting to give Happy a good rub behind the ears. I received a lick up the side of my face in exchange.
“Hey.”
“What do you have there?” I stood, nodding to the bags Ben carried.
“Dinner. Breakfast.” Ben frowned. “Whatever you want to call it. I’m cooking while you shower, sit on the couch, and drink tea. Happy will keep you company while I work.” Ben smiled hesitantly, the knowledge that I might tell him no shining in his eyes.
I glanced at my feet. “You heard.”
“I did. Doctor Ranna called me a little earlier. Figured you could do with some company.” Ben’s reassuring hand landed on my shoulder. He seemed to do that a lot. “We both did everything we could. You should know that sometimes even our best efforts aren’t going to be enough. All the equipment and knowledge in the world wouldn’t have been enough to save Arani. We need to take solace in the knowledge that we gave her family a chance to say goodbye.”
Sunil had come in to see me earlier during my shift to give me the news that Arani’s mother had given consent to turn off the respirator. I had taken a deep breath at the time, thanked him for telling me, and bolstered my resolve. I threw myself into my work, for fear that if I stopped, I would think.
My coping mechanisms had been getting stronger since moving to Brighton but mentally I wasn’t where I wanted to be. I remembered a conversation with my psychologist in London, who said the first death after leaving oncology would be the hardest. She wasn’t wrong. Now that I had finished for the day and I didn’t have anything to occupy my mind, my heart was heavy. I wondered how I would be able to walk home under its weight.
Swallowing heavily, I leaned into Ben’s touch. It was warmer than ever. I was suddenly thankful he was there. “Come on. I’m keen to see what you have in those bags.”
Picture
Amazon
Amazon UK
Amazon DE
Amazon CA
Picture
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Picture
Picture
RJ started as a reader and eventually made the progression to reviewing. It wasn't until two men popped into her thoughts, insisting on telling her their story that she started to write. It started with one scene. A hot and dirty one in the shower.
RJ's initial thought was if she could write their scene then they'd shut up and allow her to concentrate on other aspects of the day. That shower scene was 3000 words long and three hours of work.  But they didn't shut up.  They told her their entire story and she didn't sleep for days.  Sometimes she couldn't keep up with what they were telling her and she had to keep a notebook by the bed.

Whilst RJ was writing their story a side character decided he needed his story told too. Then other characters followed suit.

You see the problem? If RJ ever wants to sleep again then she needs to write.

RJ is a wife and a mother to two boys. Even her dog is a boy.
She is surrounded by males.
 
RJ writes emotionally charged, character driven romances. Her guys will always get their HEA, but it will never be easy.
 

Picture
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/robyn.j.jones.1711
 
Twitter - https://twitter.com/rjjonesauthor
 
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/rjjonesauthor/
 
Website - http://rjjonesauthor.com
 
Email - rjjonesauthor@gmail.com
 
Amazon page - http://www.amazon.com/R.-J.-Jones
1 Comment

Blog Tour!!  Snapped by T.M.Smith   4.5 Star Review and Giveaway

2/27/2017

0 Comments

 
Retribution Runs Deep
The line between retribution and vengeance is often just as thin as the line between love and hate. 

Cillian feels his life was stolen from him and is out for revenge. Grieving and seeking retribution for the death of his twin sister, August is easy prey. Cillian latches onto his grief and feeds into it, using the Outkast as a weapon to strike out at the family that abandoned him. When August learns the truth behind his sister's death, everything changes.

Hector arrives at House Gaeland for a wedding, only to wind up in the middle of an unexpected war between brothers. He finds himself inexplicably drawn to an Outkast with hair as fiery as his temper. The immediate, intense, and mutual attraction stirs up an entirely different set of issues. To be together, August and Hector will need to thwart the most evil of plans and accomplish the most daring of rescues, all before Cirian follows through with his threat to drop August off the side of a cliff. 

The people of House Gaeland have endured much, and yet, there is more trouble on the horizon. A birth and a wedding are far too much happiness for the universe to allow, so to level the playing field, the devil must add his cards to the deck. Violence begets violence and Cirian is perfectly willing to take a dagger to his brother, if need be. Will he feel the same if the blood spilled belongs to someone much closer to his heart? 

Snapped is the third book in the Opposites series, the series must be read in order. It is an adult, dystopian majorly M/M series that encompasses all manners of relationships (including M/F and F/F). In this world logic is irrelevant, love is key, and things get broken—just ask Aiyan and Kaden.

*Warning* there is a brief mention of sexual assault, though not in detail.
Picture
This is the third book in the Opposites Series, and you need to read the other books in the series to understand fully all the couples.  I would also suggest re-reading the other books, which I wish I had had time to do, before reading this one. 

August is an Outkast, definitely not someone who would be at House Gaeland by invitation or even choice.  August is the twin of Autumn, who was at House Gaeland but was killed.  August was grief stricken about his twin sisters death, and Cillian sees the perfect scapegoat for his revenge.  I must say though, I think August was beginning to wonder about things, but didn't voice his misgivings. 

Hector has arrived at House Gaeland for a wedding, but when he arrives he is suddenly pulled into the war between Cillan and Cirian. This is when Hector meets August, and although August is an Outkast, the attraction and instant pull between them is mutual, although both try to hide it.  August is also mistrusted by the people within House Gaeland, although he is doing what he can to thwart what Cillian has planned - but will this be enough??

I enjoyed this book, but fear that life is going to get rather complicated for August soon, which I assume we will be finding out in the next book.  I also loved catching up with the characters from previous books, and also meeting new ones too.  

I must also say that I think Hector and August are my favourite couple now, but this book also gives you more of an insight into the relationship between Cirian and Rian, which I have to admit I wasn't sure about.  

Buy links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | B&N
Smashwords | iTunes | Kobo


Picture

Blog tour schedule...
February 20th 
Two Book Pushers | Spotlight & Excerpt
O’Raven Chronicles | Spotlight & Promo
SiK Reviews | Review & Promo
Book Reviews, Virginia Lee | Review & Promo

February 21st
Happily Ever Chapter | Playlist
Bike Book Reviews | Review & Promo
Divine Magazine | Spotlight & Excerpt

February 22nd
Cathy Writes Romance | Review & Promo
Book Boyfriend Heaven | Spotlight & Promo
Molly Lolly | Spotlight & Promo

February 23rd
Love Bytes | Exclusive promo
Making it Happen | Review & Promo
Bayou Book Junkie | Spotlight & Promo

February 24th
MM Book Escape | This or That
Nic Starr | Dream Cast
Gay Book Reviews | Review & Promo

February 27th
EyesOnBooks' Next Favorite Reads | Review & Guest post
Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents | Spotlight & Promo

February 28th
All in One Place | Spotlight & Promo
Triple A | Spotlight & Promo
A.O. Chika Book Blog | Spotlight & Promo



☆  â˜† Other books in the Opposites series â˜†  â˜†



Opposites
The Opposites series, book 1 
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon DE
Smashwords | iTunes
Also available on Audiobook: Amazon | Audible | iTunes



The Library 
An Opposites novella {book 1.5} 
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | iTunes
Also available on Audiobook: Amazon | Audible | iTunes



Appearances
The Opposites series, book 2 
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon DE
Smashwords 
Available in Audiobook summer of 2017!



The Cellar 
An Opposites novella {book 2.5} 
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | iTunes
Also available on Audiobook: Amazon | Audible | iTunes

About the Author...

A military brat born and raised at Ft. Benning Georgia; TM Smith is an avid reader, reviewer and writer. A Texas transplant, she now calls DFW her home. Most days she can be found curled up with a good book, or ticking away on her next novel.

Smith is a single mom of three disturbingly outspoken and decidedly different kids, one of which is Autistic. Besides her writing, she is passionate about Autism advocacy and LGBT rights. Because, seriously people, Love is Love!


Author links: Amazon || Smashwords || Website || Facebook || Twitter 
Goodreads || Pinterest || Youtube

Giveaway...


Up for grabs are two prizes...

Grand Prize goodie bag is US only shipping and includes a signed paperback copy of either Opposites with The Library or Appearances with The Cellar, series inspired swag and an Author TM Smith image collage coffee mug.

Runner up is for International readers as well, a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble giftcard, winner's choice, to be delivered electronically at the end of the tour. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway


0 Comments

Touchdown by T.S.McKinney, 5 Star Review and Giveaway

2/19/2017

5 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
Alexander Bryant has lived his entire life making everyone else happy. After meeting Lincoln, will he have the courage to finally do what makes him happy?

Alexander – I like to imagine myself a rebel – an ass-kicker that takes what he wants regardless of what others think. I make my own path and flip off the people who don’t agree. I laugh in the face of conflict. Nobody tells me what to do.

In reality, everything about me is a lie – past, present, and future. The Bryant name requires certain things and all my decisions are based on those requirements. I like football, but the family name demands I love it. I want to be an artist, but the family name demands I be a lawyer. The family demands I fall in love with a nice girl, but I’m falling for, well, the opposite of nice AND girl. I’m a coward and a liar.

Lincoln – I like to imagine myself a loner – a cold heartless bastard that takes what he wants. I lived the biggest part of my life with parents that were ashamed of me for more reasons that one could begin to count, so I trust no one.

I have a low tolerance for bullshit and hate liars.

So why did I go and fall in love with the biggest liar of them all?
Picture
Picture
Wow is my first thought on this book.  I haven't read any books by T.S. McKinney before, but it won't be the last that I read. I really did enjoy this book, I loved that you were getting the POV of both main characters, so you knew their thoughts and what they were feeling. 

Alexander, I really did feel for.  I am sure he knew he was gay, but his family was well known and wealthy, so he had to make sure he was projecting the right image.  Even as you start reading, Alexander knows exactly what he is doing, and the path he is meant to follow - although it is not what he wanted to do. 

Lincoln comes across as a someone who has never been in love, and has no desire to ever be in love.  He is happy with his life as it is - or is he??  He is quite the complicated guy, and the more you read, the more you realise there is a warm caring man inside somewhere, but he has been hidden deep. 

Alexander and Lincoln meet when Alexander and his friends go to the club that Lincoln owns.  This isn't really where Alexander wants to be, as t is a BDSM club, but his best friend Tank wants to go there, so against his better judgement he goes with him. 

Lincoln is drawn to Alexander as soon as he sees him, but decides to have some fun at Alexander's expense - but this soon backfires on Lincoln, as rather than run away from Lincoln, Alexander takes everything that Lincoln throws at him.

Alexander is so shocked by his feelings after completing a scene with Lincoln, and I think it scared him too, how relaxed and at ease he was feeling afterwards.  It was a lot for Alexander to think about and also what would happen if anyone found out about this side of his life. 

I am also sure Lincoln was shocked by his feelings for Alexander, and he guards his heart quite fiercely, but somehow Alexander manages to break down the barriers, and when Lincoln confesses his feelings, Alexander is shocked speechless, but this is not how Lincoln sees things - he straight away assumes that Alexander has been lying to him about this true feelings. 

Is this the end of Alexander and Lincoln?  
Picture
Picture
Amazon
Amazon UK
Amazon CA
Amazon DE
Barnes & Noble
Picture
​TS McKinney lives in a small town in East Tennessee. I’m obsessed with my dogs, cats, and my trashy romance novels. By day I’m forced to work a boring nine to five job but at night, my mind is free to do all sorts of naughty things to the characters I dream up in my head!
Picture
a Rafflecopter giveaway
5 Comments

Release Day Blitz!!  You Had Me At Hero by Michael P. Thomas - 4 Star Review, Excerpt and Giveaway

2/18/2017

0 Comments

 
You Had Me at Hero by Michael P. Thomas

Title: You Had Me at Hero
Author: Michael P. Thomas
Genre: Gay Romance, Contemporary, Interracial
Length: Novella
Publisher: JMS Books

Synopsis

When seventeen-year-old Mark Potts fell from a balcony, he lost both the use of his legs and any faith in heroes. Now twenty-nine, he’s long-since come to terms with his injury. His job provides more opportunities for eye-rolling than for riding to anybody’s rescue, but with two kids to bring up, he barely has time for his husband, much less for heroics. Besides, Starr Bradford is a policeman — how many heroes does one family need?

Mark and Starr love each other madly, but stress management is a load-bearing pillar of their happiness. When Mark’s coping skills fail him at exactly the wrong moment, he’s left hanging by a thread of words he should’ve kept in his mouth. He has the power to repair their relationship, but when Starr’s workday suddenly goes south, will he get to wield it? Keeping it together long enough to find out is a job worthy of any superhero!

Picture
When I first began reading this book, I loved the character of Mark, but I have to admit that when he seemed to be deliberately trying to fight with Starr, I began to dislike him slightly.

You also learn exactly what happened to Mark, and how he and Starr met and then became an item.  This part of the book I really enjoyed, it was something new for both of them, and you could feel their nervousness though the book. 

Admittedly, his life changed drastically when he was 17 years old, but then again it was due to something he had done.  He has learned to adapt and seemed to be comfortable with himself even while in the wheelchair.  However, rather than speak to Starr, he seemed to be holding things inside, and this was a really really bad way of coping, and to really put the cherry on the top, he then said something to Starr that ended with Starr just walking out the door going to work.....

Mark soon realises what he has done as soon as the words leave his mouth, but Starr has gone before he can even start to really apologise. Then once at work, it begins to lay heavily on his mind, and even more so when something happens to Starr while at work.....

You Had Me at Hero by Michael P. Thomas

Buy Links

JMS Books: http://www.jms-books.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=29_94&products_id=2008
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N6XBBMF/
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N6XBBMF/
Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B01N6XBBMF/
Amazon DE: https://www.amazon.de/dp/B01N6XBBMF/

Excerpt

The 911 call center was tucked into a park in the middle of town. Mark and Starr lived in a neighborhood of post-World War II brick ranch houses east of the park, barely a five-minute drive at three in the morning. Even after being corralled by Coretta, Mark was out of his clothes, out of his chair, and into the bed by three-thirty, with his arms around his husband at three-thirty and about two seconds. Geeze but it felt good to cuddle up next to Starr. Any trace of a world that might exist outside their bed fizzled away as soon as they were in it together. Even if he tried, which he had long given up doing, he couldn’t focus on a worry, couldn’t retain the residue from even the most stressful call. With Starr in his arms, there was no room left for fear, no way to also hold on to doubt. With Starr in a patrol car and two sons careening through life in America while being black, these things were easy enough to find during the day, but in the quiet dark, Starr’s body throwing heat like rocks in a sauna, Mark’s defenses—which Starr assured him were more finely tuned than most people’s—melted away.

When Starr rolled over with the whoosh of a contented sigh to take Mark in his own arms, Mark knew he was safe. He knew he was loved. And when his hand followed a hunch along the ridge of Starr’s muscled belly, he knew he was desired. He took a great handful of Starr’s warm, heavy balls and watched a sleepy grin spread across his face.

“Marky?”

This mumbled verification always made Mark laugh. As opposed to…? “No. It’s a jewel thief,” he said, gathering Starr’s balls and giving his sac a tug. “I just struck it rich.”

The grin grew and Starr rolled onto his back. “Take whatever you want, just please don’t hurt me.”

“We’ll see.”

Giveaway

Prize: $20 Amazon Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author

Michael P. Thomas is a flight attendant whose writing is continually inspired by his work with the flying public, who flatly refuse to be boring. The author of three novel-length gay romances and a number of romantic and erotic shorts, he writes gay fiction because when he was coming out he sure was glad to have it to read. After misspending his youth in San Francisco, he now lives in his native Colorado with his husband.

Social Links

Website: http://misterstewardess.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoReadMichaelPThomas
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MrStewardess

0 Comments

Blog Tour - Jared's Family by V.S.Morgan, 5 Star Review and Giveaway

2/16/2017

0 Comments

 
Title: Jared’s Family
Series: Sequel to The Gift and Sam’s Temptation (can be read as a standalone)
Author: V.S. Morgan 
Genre: m/m, Interracial, Contemporary, Western 
Publisher: Decadent Publishing
Cover Designer: Tibbs Design
Available Now
Picture
Although this is part of a series, I haven't read the rest of the series, but this did not detract from really enjoying this book.  I should also say that this is a book that I will read again and again, and I will also be looking at other books by this author.

I really love the MC Virge.  He has completely changed his life to accommodate taking in this nephew D, after he witnesses his mother's death.  He is determined to help D get over everything, and he moves his whole life to Montana, to get him the help he needs. 

​While in Montana, Virge meets Jared, but Jared has his own demons he is dealing with, made worse by an old boyfriend.  Virge and Jared become friends, and even D is totally smitten by Jared !   However, Jared is running scared due to his past, and it seems like the only thing Virge and Jared will be is friends. 

However, Jared's demons decide to include Virge into the mix, and events then unfold that nobody could have foreseen.  All secrets are then revealed to everyone, but does this spell the end of everything before it has really had a chance to begin??

I have actually read this book more than once, and have enjoyed it just as much as the first time I read it.  This is a really sweet m/m romance, and I just loved the other characters int he book, especially Nate - and there is definitely a story behind him which I will be looking out for. 
Available Now
“I would definitely read more from this author and recommend it to anyone who likes M/M with kids. Super sweet, lovable D will win your heart as much as the lead men will.” - HappilyEverChapter“Jared's Family is a really cute sweet book. I loved the characters, even the supporting characters brought light to the book.” - Goodreads Review“I liked this book, like really liked it. It is a sweet sweet m/m romance novel with a wonderful HEA.Thank you V.S. Morgan!! 5 Stars because: " Love conquers all.” - Goodreads Review
After witnessing his mother’s death, a once outgoing preschooler is now a quiet shadow of himself. The little boy suffers nightmares and rarely speaks, choosing to use the basic sign language he learned in daycare. Desperate to help his little nephew, Virge Stevens takes a leave of absence from the LAPD to bring Donovan, known as D to Montana for the therapy he needs.

A chance meeting at the library changes Virge and his nephew’s lives forever.
Jared Malone is one of five brothers, right smack damn in the middle. He is the peacemaker and the one who gets shit done. When his younger brother gets sick, Jared fills in reading to small children at the library. There he encounters a tall, dark, and handsome stranger and his cute little boy. Jared is immediately drawn to Virge but is still dealing with the betrayal of an abusive ex.
As the Malone family welcomes them to the ranch and into their lives, Virge’s instant attraction for Jared grows, but the cowboy is fifteen years younger than him. Will he be rejected?
Both men have secrets. Secrets that could destroy the connection between them. Can they overcome the odds and find happiness together?
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Another blond cowboy stood in the middle, working with a horse. He had a long rope around its neck, guiding it around the ring at a quick clip. The shirtless cowboy spoke in a firm yet quiet tone. Virge nearly choked on his tongue, eyeing the golden skin and muscles on display. This was their cowboy.
The man whistled, and the horse stopped. He rubbed its shoulder, his back to them, as they reached the ring’s split-rail fence.
“Daddy!” D shrieked, and the horse whinnied and shied, bumping into the man as it swung around.
“Whoa, easy, Spike,” the cowboy soothed.
Virge struggled to prevent his nephew from launching out of his arms while the cowboy calmed the large, skittish animal. He’d never been near a horse and was struck by its size and power, which the other man skillfully controlled. As the cowboy turned, Virge saw a tattoo on his chest. A redwing blackbird with a rainbow-hued ribbon dangling from its beak. His heart beat a little faster seeing the colorful ink. Could he be gay? The cowboy handed the rope to a dark-haired man before pulling on a T-shirt that stretched tight over those muscles. He suppressed a disappointed sigh.
Nate chuckled. “You’ve got some explaining to do, bro.”
“Hi, I’m Jared. I remember you from the library.” He approached with a rolling gait Virge found extremely sexy and offered his hand after wiping it against his denim-clad thigh. Damn, he was built all over and tall, just an inch or two shorter than his own height.
Virge shook his hand, hyperaware of the firm grasp of warm, work-hardened skin. “I’m Virge, and this is Donovan. He goes by D.”
“Glad you could make it out—”
“Why did he call Jared daddy?” Nate interrupted.
“He calls all men daddy and women mommy. If he especially likes someone, he adds their first names. D doesn’t talk much, so he must like Jared.” What about this cowboy had inspired his nephew to talk?
V.S. Morgan has lived all over the US but calls Minnesota her home now. Her family includes her hubby, teen son, and a menagerie of pets.
She's been writing stories since she could hold a pencil and dreams of happily-ever-afters - even for two hot men - because love knows no boundaries. V.S. writes IRMC contemporary, paranormal, and suspense m/m and m/f with heart. 
V.S. is a GLBT ally and a lifetime contributor of The Trevor Project.
HOSTED BY:
0 Comments

Release Day Blitz!!  Leaning Into Love by Lane Hayes, 5 Star Review, Excerpt and Giveaway

2/10/2017

0 Comments

 

Title:  Leaning Into Love

Series: Leaning Into Stories, #1

Author: Lane Hayes

Publisher: Self-Published

Release Date: February 10th

Heat Level: 4 - Lots of Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: Approximately 24K words

Genre: Romance, Erotica, Friends to lovers, surfer, white collar, San Francisco, bisexual

Add to Goodreads

Synopsis

Eric Schuster is a successful guy. He’s part owner of a highly successful tech firm, he has a supportive family and a great group of close friends. But something is missing. Or maybe he’s reacting to his business partner and ex’s wedding news. He knows his former lover is making a big mistake but he also knows it’s time to move on. And hopefully avoid falling for another friend. Zane Richards is an avid sailor and surfer with a laid-back approach to life. He firmly believes there’s a time and place for everything if you’re willing to take a chance. Like letting his best friend know he’s interested in being much more than friends. Eric has always been half in love with Zane but going from friends to lovers isn’t an easy sell for someone protecting his heart. Eric will have to decide if he’s willing to risk it all by leaning into love. INCLUDES BONUS CONTENT
Picture
This is book one of a new series by Lane Hayes, and from this book, this series is one that I am going to enjoy reading.

Now at first Eric comes across as someone who has everything, but he is not happy.  He knows it is not because of his business partners/ex’s Nicks wedding news, he knows that what they had was not a real relationship, it was just purely friends with benefits.  What he does know is that Nick is making a huge mistake, and that he, Eric is missing something from his life, but he doesn’t really know what.

Zane is different to Eric, and I think sometimes although close friends Eric just doesn’t know how to speak to Zane, I mean really speak to him.  Zane is also successful in his own right, and I think in some ways Eric is jealous of how laid back Zane can be, whereas Eric is stressed about his work day.

I think what I love most about this book, is that Zane and Eric begin seeing each other, but keep it just between themselves, not telling their other friends.  They really get to know each other better, with mutual hand jobs thrown in, but they do get to know the actual person, not the one who is usually on show.  I love that they can just sit, relax and talk together, not the usual storyline of one MC trying to impress the other.

​I assume that Nick is going to get his own story as he is someone mentioned often in this book, but he was one character who I took a dislike to, he seems to do what he wants when he wants with no thought of the consequences to other people especially Eric. 

Excerpt

Zane refilled my glass and returned it to me with a naughty smirk. “You get kinda corny when you’re tipsy, Schuster. It’s cute.” “Cute?” “Yeah. You get goofy. Your ears turn red and it makes the freckles on your nose stand out. Then you do that thing with your hair where you swipe your hand through it so many times that it looks like you just rolled out of bed.” “Uh…okay. That’s embarrassing.” I searched for a reflective surface as I attempted to pat my unruly brown hair into some semblance of order. “I was going for debonair and I got bar mitzvah kid chic,” I grumbled. Zane leaned forward and gave me an intense look I didn’t understand. “You don’t have to be anyone but yourself with me, Eric. I like you just the way you are.” He sat back again and cocked his head. “So let’s talk about this stupid engagement party. What’s the dress code?” “Um… it’s probably dressy casual,” I replied with a furrowed brow. I wanted to back up a sentence or two and analyze his words and dissect the meaning of “I like you just the way you are”. “The usual oxymoron,” he snarked. “You are going with me, right?” “Sure. If you want.” “I want. It’ll save us both the trouble of finding some poor unsuspecting sucker to drag to a fancy shindig.” “True. Speaking of suckers, don’t you have a date tonight?” Zane glanced at his watch and then stretched his legs out on the bench so his shoe nudged my thigh. “I’ve got time. Talk to me. What else have you been up to lately? I noticed there’s a new exhibit at the Modern Museum. Have you gone? I think it’s a midcentury retrospective with Motherwell and de Kooning. I know you like the scribbly art and…” His conversation was easy. The gentrified version of his former surfer dude accent had a lilting quality I could have listened to for hours. I felt myself truly begin to relax and let go of the invisible hold I’d had on my emotions, like a swimmer grasping onto a ledge who finally realizes he can reach the bottom of the pool. Being with someone who knew quirky details about me and accepted them without judgment or reservation was a gift. I treasured all of my friends, but Zane was special. Our friendship was rooted in geography and history and now time. He wasn’t making a romantic advance when he asked me to attend Nick’s engagement party with him. That was latent wishful thinking on my part. Zane was simply being who he always was. My oldest and best friend.

Available at Amazon for only 99 cents

Amazon

Meet the Author

Lane Hayes is grateful to finally be doing what she loves best. Writing full-time! It’s no secret Lane loves a good romance novel. An avid reader from an early age, she has always been drawn to well-told love story with beautifully written characters. These days she prefers the leading roles to both be men. Lane discovered the M/M genre a few years ago and was instantly hooked. Her debut novel was a 2013 Rainbow Award finalist and subsequent books have received Honorable Mentions, and were winners in the 2016 Rainbow Awards. She loves red wine, chocolate and travel (in no particular order). Lane lives in Southern California with her amazing husband in an almost empty nest.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram |

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway Blog Button 2 Save
0 Comments

Release Day Blitz!!  Shelton In Love by Dianne Hartsock, 4.5 Star Review and Giveaway

2/1/2017

1 Comment

 

Shelton in Love Release Blitz

Title: Shelton in Love
Author: Dianne Hartsock
Genre: Gay Romance, Contemporary
Length: Novel
Publisher: Less Than Three Press

Synopsis

Shelton has found the man of his dreams, but keeping him is an entirely different matter.

Shelton’s falling hard for his attractive roommate, a man who would happily sleep with him, adding him to the list of men in his life. But Shelton wants more than just a fling with Nevil. How can he convince the elusive man there could be something lasting between them?

Shelton in Love is told in five stories spanning two and a half years of Shelton and Nevil’s relationship, the ups and downs, trials and celebrations, with a promise, a separation, a frantic return, temptation and a final triumph. Sometimes Shelton finds it difficult to love a beautiful man, but Nevil is worth the effort. Shelton’s eager to move their relationship to the next level, marriage, but will Nevil ever be ready to take this step with him?

shelton in love

Picture
I think I have found the first of my read again and again books!  I really did enjoy this book, it takes place over time, and has the ups and downs of a relationship, which made it seem more real.

Shelton is so in love with Nevil, but Nevil seems content to play the field., until one night things may be changing, but then again maybe they aren't. Shelton decides he can't stay with Nevil, and suffer like he is. 

Nevil seems to realise he is going to lose the best thing in his life, and he and Shelton become a couple.  Everything seems to be going well, until Shelton gets a promotion and then everything gets rather fraught. 

The way that the book is written, you go on the emotional roller coaster with Shelton and Nevil, and I have to say I didn't want to stop reading.  You get to know both Shelton and Nevil really well, and get a complete insight into their feelings.  You also realise that Shelton is still bothered by something in his past, which he is convinced makes him someone who can't be totally loveable.

As the book went on, you could see how they were both attuned to the other, and knew when the other needed to talk.  This is a nice light read, and one I think once you start, like me you won't want to put down. 
Picture
​Nevil laughed at something the man said, and Percy straightened, clearly furious with him. He suddenly grabbed the front of Nevil's shirt and pulled him close, giving him a hard kiss.
Surprised, Shelton looked quickly around, but there was no one else to see their blatant display of affection. He was hardly aware of the pain that squeezed his chest as he dropped his gaze to his hands clasped on his lap. Nerves burning, he pleaded with the universe to be invisible and that Nevil wouldn't see him sitting on the bench. He wished the ground would swallow him up, anything, afraid to move and draw their attention.
In a moment he heard their voices drift off and he risked a glance, seeing them disappear into the trees in the opposite direction from him. He waited a few minutes then, sick with disappointment, rose and walked the short distance home.
The apartment had an empty silence to it he'd never noticed before, and he reluctantly closed the door behind him and locked himself into the quiet, lonely rooms.
"Damn," he said, not sure what he meant by the word. Without bothering to change, he went to the kitchen, grabbed a can of soup out of the cupboard and began to heat the brownish blob over the stove instead of the microwave, not minding the extra time it took. What else did he have to do, anyway? Nevil had said he'd see him that night, but he never should have gotten his hopes up.
Unthinking, Shelton took his hot bowl of soup to the living room and bit off an oath at the sight of the couch. Body instantly on fire and aching for Nevil's touch, he placed the soup on the coffee table and sat down, sinking into the cushions. Trembling, he surrendered to the memory of Nevil's skillful fingers; his hot lips and tongue bringing fulfillment. Shelton could never tell Nevil, but that night had been the best in his life.
Drawing a ragged breath, he sat up and clicked on the television before letting one mindless show after the other numb his senses and nudge him toward sleep. At one in the morning, he finally dragged his aching body to bed only to sleep fitfully, listening for Nevil to come home. It was another two hours before he heard the key at the front door and Nevil's familiar tread in the hallway.
Shelton's pulses leapt to life as Nevil's footfalls paused outside his door. He clutched the blankets, urging Nevil to come in and kiss away his hurt and loneliness. He didn't even care where he’d been. After a brief moment, the footsteps receded and Nevil's door closed firmly. Shelton rolled to his side and stared at the wall for a long while.

shelton in love

Buy Your Copy

Less Than Three Press: https://goo.gl/YtfqLo
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/698219

Amazon
Amazon UK
Amazon DE
Amazon AU
Kobo

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author

DIANNE HARTSOCK is the author of m/m erotic romance, both contemporary and fantasy, the psychological thriller, and anything else that comes to mind. Oh, and a floral designer. If she can’t be writing, at least she has the chance to create through the rich colors and textures of flowers and foliage to bring a smile to someone’s face.

Currently, Dianne lives in the Willamette Valley of Oregon with her incredibly patient husband, who puts up with the endless hours she spends hunched over the keyboard letting her characters play.

Social links

Website: https://diannehartsock.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/diannehartsock
Twitter: https://twitter.com/diannehartsock
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/diannehartsock/

1 Comment

    Categories

    All
    Ann Lister
    Blog Tour
    Christi Snow
    Cover Reveal
    Ella Frank
    Flynn Eire
    Gavin Atlas
    GIVEAWAYS
    Guest Post
    HBO The Normal Heart
    Jaime Reese
    Jake Biondi
    James Crawford
    Jennifer Wright
    J.J. Scotts
    Kindle Alexander
    Kindle-alexander
    Morticia Knight
    New Releases
    Nicola Haken
    Nya Rawlyns
    Piper Kay
    Rain Carrington
    Sara York
    Susan Mac Nicol
    T.M. Smith

    Archives

    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.