Gay Media Reviews
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact

Beignets (Coffee Cake Book 2) by Michaela Grey  4.5 Star Review, Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

10/18/2015

0 Comments

 
BT_Banner


AboutTheBook

Beignets_FINAL_lavender
Title: Beignets 

Series: Coffee Cake 

Author: Michaela Grey 

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press 

Cover Artist: Aaron Anderson 

Length: 200 Pages 

Release Date: October 9, 2015 

Blurb: Malachi Warren barely survived a series of assaults on his life. But survive he did, though not without baggage. Now, Malachi must pick up the pieces of his shattered life—the most important piece being his boyfriend, Bran Kendrick, who is dealing with problems of his own. 

Stagnating at his job at a small-town café, Bran’s pride keeps him from asking Malachi—or anyone—for help. Desperate to do something, Malachi secretly pays a celebrity chef with a bakery in New Orleans to take on Bran as his apprentice. 

As Malachi and Bran begin to make a new life in New Orleans, the specter of Malachi’s PTSD and the growing stress over the secret he hides from Bran threaten their relationship. Before it’s too late, Malachi must confront his past and face his fears about the future, all without losing himself—and Bran—in the process.


  Excerpt   


He’d covered Bran’s back with a pale gray first, from shoulders to hips. It was the exact color of the Vermont sky outside his window: the pearlescent hint of winter, cold and serene.

The trees were next, bare limbs black against the gray sky. The green stretched out under the trees, a wide expanse of withered brown that defied its commonly used name. On the other side of the green, the library rose above the branches, glass and stone and modern architecture. Two figures sat on a bench in front of the library. The smaller one had his head in the other’s lap, knees bent to brace his sketchpad. The taller figure was absorbed in his book, brown hair falling in a haphazard manner over his forehead.

And in the distance under the farthest tree, a tiny, malevolent, brown spotted llama lurked, biding its time.


Picture
First thing I should say is that you need to read book 1 (Coffee Cake)  in this series before reading this one, to fully understand about Malachi and Bran.  I hadn’t, and I will admit that in the beginning I was a little lost.

​You really feel for Malachi, as although he survived the assaults, but he was left with mental scars in the form of PTSD.  Bran is his rock, and seems to be the only person who can pull Malachi from his dark place, should something happen to trigger is PTSD.  Both Bran and Malachi are now no longer happy where they are, and the chance to change things comes about while chatting to another friend – which Malachi does in secret.

Bran and Malachi begin to make a new life in New Orleans, and Bran seems to bloom while working in the bakery – but what Bran does not know is that Malachi has paid the owner to take Bran on as an apprentice.  Malachi also finds a therapist that he can talk to, and on the outside it seems like things may be improving for them both.  Malachi also manages to find a friend while sketching in the park one day, but Bran comes across as really jealous of her, although she is no threat to their relationship.

Although Malachi wants to tell Bran the truth, he doesn’t want to spoil things, as they are closer than ever, but really enjoying their new life in New Orleans. However, they go out with friends one night, and the alcohol flows quite freely, and while drunk one of the other people who works at the bakery blurts out that Bran is only there as Malachi has paid for his apprenticeship…..

The book now becomes very emotional, and I can only applaud the author with how she wrote this part of the story.  You can honestly feel Malachi’s total distress and despair as you read, and I really wanted to reach in and hug him tight.  The author wrote about Malachi’s PTSD in a sensitive manner and it showed (to me anyway), that even little things which seem insignificant to the rest of us, can cause a total panic attack if you have PTSD.

I recommend people to read this book, but please also read Coffee Time (book 1) prior to reading this, so you have a better understanding of the dynamics of their relationship.
 
Picture
He managed to stand and grabbed for the door as panic flooded him and the dark began to close in. He fumbled at the door handle, nearly falling through into the waiting room when the door finally opened and ignoring the therapist’s startled exclamation from behind him.
Bran’s eyes widened and he stood up, catching Malachi in his arms as Malachi stumbled forward. “Mal?” He took a step backward, supporting Malachi’s weight as he sank onto the couch and pulled him into his lap. “Breathe, baby,” he whispered, rubbing his back. “Remember your breathing. It’s okay, you’re okay, you’re safe, I’m here.”
BuyLinks

Dreamspinner Press (ebook)
Dreamspinner Press (Paperback)
Amazon US
Amazon UK
All Romance eBooks
Barnes & Noble


AboutTheAuthor


​Michaela Grey told stories to put herself to sleep since she was old enough to hold a conversation in her head.  When she learned to write, she began putting those stories down on paper.  She and her family reside in the Texas hill country with their cats, and she is perpetually on the hunt for peaceful writing time, which her four children make difficult to find.
Michaela started her career with Dreamspinner Press.  Her first book is called Coffee Cake, published in May of 2015, and its sequel is Beignets, coming in October of 2015.  She is represented by Saritza Hernandez, of Corvisiero Literary Agency.
Queer romance is her happy place, and she delights in pushing her limits, testing her abilities and forcing herself to write scenarios she’s not familiar with.  Angst is her lifeblood, and she wants you to know that your tears are delicious.  (But don’t worry, she’ll always give you a happy ending.)
When she’s not writing, she’s knitting while watching TV or avoiding responsibilities on Tumblr, where she shamelessly ogles pretty people and tries to keep her cat off the keyboard.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
TourSchedule 

October 12: 
Diverse Reader 
Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents 
Drops of Ink 

October 13: 
Divine Magazine 
The Purple Rose Tea House 

October 14: 
Molly Lolly: Reader, Reviewer, Lover of Words 
Louise Lyons 

October 15: 
Wicked Faeries Tales & Reviews 
Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words 

October 16: 
World of Diversity Fiction 
Nic Starr 

October 17: 
Cia’s Stories 
Love Bytes Reviews 

October 18: 
BFD Book Blog 
Gay Media Reviews
0 Comments

Safety In Numbers by Jessie G!!!Double Cover Reveal!!! Excerpt and Giveaway!!!

10/15/2015

4 Comments

 
Picture
Author Name: Jessie G.
Book Name: Safety In Numbers
Series: Sizzling Miami
Book: Five
Pages or Words: 76,000 words
Categories: Gay fiction, M/M Romance, Romance
Release Date: October 31, 2015

Picture
Picture
Picture
“Bros stick together no matter what.”

When Chris and Liam made that promise, they had no idea how important it would become or how it would be tested in the most brutal way. Nine years later, their bond cemented in blood, that relationship is all they have to hold on to. 

“No matter what happens, this friendship will be the one constant we can count on.”

When Billy and Owen made that promise, they knew exactly how dangerous the world could be. They survived prison by protecting each other and they survived freedom by holding that promise sacred. Now they want more than just to survive and they want it from the brothers whose bond is as strong as their own.

“We are stronger together than we’ll ever be apart.”

When Owen reaches his breaking point, Chris jumps at the chance to make things right for all of them. With the future in their grasp, will they realize their strength is in their numbers and finally become the family they crave?

Author’s Note: This is NOT a foursome, but the story of two couples that needed to be told together.
Picture
Picture
Amazon Pre-Order Link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014E90EXA
ARe Pre-order Link:
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-safetyinnumbers-1901179-149.html 
KOBO:
https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/safety-in-numbers-4 

Picture
Picture
That silence hid a lot from their friends, but Liam knew Chris was plagued with memories far worse than his. That’s why they decided not to celebrate alone this year. Billy and Owen were expected any minute and it was the first time they invited anyone to join them. The anniversary was bittersweet for them and they chose to celebrate it because becoming brothers meant that much to them. “Do you think they’ll find it stupid?”

Chris just shrugged as if it was no skin off his back what they thought and Liam knew that was just bravado. Fact was, they both very much cared what the two men thought. “Liar.”

His brother sighed and dropped his head back. As if shit wasn’t fucked up enough, they fell for two bastards just as fucked up as they were. “I know you’re worried about Owen. The business with Colin is growing out of their control and I’m not sure why he thinks it’s a good thing. Is he trying to prove something? And the middle of the night phone calls from the FTR? He’s looking more and more fragile every day.”

Liam knew he wasn’t stating anything new. What he didn’t know was what Chris intended to do about it. Lately, when it came to Owen, Chris conveyed zero intent and seemed to be waiting for Owen to read him as effortlessly as Liam did. Their brother bond had been forged through blood and he was afraid Chris’s expectations of Owen were unreasonable. “Do you see his face every time he thinks he’s failed to understand you? The weight of it is crushing.”

Instead of regret, all Liam saw was anger in Chris. It wasn’t a common emotion for Chris and Liam could name every time he saw it. The fact that Chris knew what he was capable of if provoked had made him extremely conscious of that emotion and he often went to great lengths to contain it. 

Owen was the very definition of insecure. Just the type to inspire Chris’s protective instincts, which Liam knew for a fact Owen did. Hell, he inspired Liam’s protective instincts. Owen was stubborn though and he often distanced himself, keeping things bottled up until they manifested elsewhere. Like in panic attacks that felt like heart attacks, which he also tried to hide. Liam nearly lost it when they found out that Billy was keeping Owen’s secret.

Chris nodded slowly, as if he completely followed Liam’s train of thought and waited for him to connect the dots. And just like that, Liam understood. “You’re pissed because he doesn’t come to you when the panic sets in. That he hides it from you and they hide it from us.”

It made total sense, but he had to wonder if they were expecting too much. After all, they couldn’t call what was going on with either man a relationship. No, they were four fucked up bastards trying to come together in some romantic—what? Not a foursome, eww…he loved Chris, but yeah, that just wasn’t happening. And Owen wasn’t his type any more than Billy was Chris’s type. But—always with the fucking buts, right?—what was happening was very definitely happening to the four of them, and Liam now had to wonder if that was the problem, because trying to come together was definitely not the same as being together.

Chris shook his head and shifted in his seat. No, he was right. It wasn’t just their brother bond that made it impossible to move forward as two separate couples. Billy and Owen had formed their own unique friendship in prison and were no more likely to move forward without the other one either. “Just once, couldn’t we have done something the easy way?”

The fire door banged open and Liam turned to see Billy and Owen, arms full of brightly wrapped packages, struggling to pull a huge cluster of balloons through the door. It was a shocking contrast to their dark thoughts and so uncharacteristically sweet of both men. Billy caught their surprised stare and yelled, “Is this where the party’s at?” 

“It is now.” It might seem silly, but it was exactly what they needed and exactly who they needed it from. Maybe they hadn’t been expecting too much at all. Liam rose to give them a hand and glanced down to see the look of longing in Chris’s eyes and thought maybe it was time they all expected more.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Like many readers, the dream of being a writer has been with me a long time. After three decades of trying, I'd begun to doubt. Thanks to social media, I followed my favorite authors hoping to glean some words of wisdom as I pounded out half-formed ideas with alarming regularity. Two repetitive themes emerged: to be a great writer you

must read a lot and your butt must be in the chair every day like it's a job. The more you write, the easier it will be to write and the better you will be at writing. I took that advice to heart and write every day. With six published books to date, three series in the works and a full schedule of releases planned for the next two years, it's been amazing to have made this dream my reality. 

I am a firm believer in marriage equality, love at first sight, power dynamics and happily ever after. I'm a lover of strong secondary characters and series filled with families, biological or chosen. All are themes you'll find throughout my books. 

Picture
Picture
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessiegbook 
Facebook Author Page:
https://www.facebook.com/JessieGBooks
Facebook Author Group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/jessiegbooks/ 
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/JessieGBooks 
Pinterest:
https://www.pinterest.com/jessiegbooks/ 
TSU:
http://www.tsu.co/jessiegbooks 
Ello:
https://ello.co/jessiegbooks 
G+:
https://plus.google.com/+Jessiegbooksmm/posts
Tumblr (NSFW):
http://jessiegbooks.tumblr.com/
Goodreads Link:
https://www.goodreads.com/jessiegbooks 
Publisher: Jessie G. Books
Cover Artist: Andrew Reyna 

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/bhuja1


Picture
Picture
Parker Williams, Bike Book Reviews, Inked Rainbow Reads, 3 Chicks After Dark, Bayou Book Junkie, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, KathyMac Reviews, Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Charley Descoteaux, BFD Book Blog, V's Reads, Molly Lolly, Multitasking Mommas, Carly’s Book Reviews, Happily Ever Chapter, The Hat Party, Wicked Faerie's Tales and Reviews, MM Good Book Reviews, Divine Magazine, Foxylutely Book Reviews, Cheekypee Reads and Reviews, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, Gay Media Reviews, Velvet Panic, Sassygirl Books, Gay Book Reviews, Jill P Rand
Picture
Picture
Picture
a Rafflecopter giveaway
4 Comments

Rubble and the Wreckage by Rodd Clark! 5 Star Review, Character Interview and Giveaway!!!

10/13/2015

3 Comments

 
Picture
Rubble and the Wreckage
Series: A Gabriel Church Tale
Release Date: January 31, 2015
Genre: Erotic Thriller/LGBT Fiction
Pages: 315/102,000 words
Publisher: Driven Press

GMR 5 STAR REVIEW-PAUL

Picture
Gabriel Church knows you can’t take a life without first understanding just how feeble life is, how tentative and weak it stands alone. If you desire murder, you hold a life in your hand. Whether you release it to grant life or grip tighter to end it, it is at your command and discretion.

Gabriel is a serial killer with a story he wants told.

Christian Maxwell studied abnormal psychology in college but chose instead to focus on a career in writing. His background comes in handy when he thinks of writing about a serial killer. He can’t think of anyone more qualified to write the story of Gabriel Lee Church, and do so in the murderer’s own words. It’s been done before, but never with a killer who has yet to be captured or convicted.

There was never anything more than a gentleman’s understanding between the two men that Christian would record Gabriel’s life story. The killer did not ask for his complicity in any crimes, nor did he ever ask for his silence. Christian’s interest in the man, though, is fast becoming something more than academic. When the writer and his subject become unexpected friends and then lovers, the question remains: What is Gabriel’s endgame . . . and why does he want his story told?


Picture
Picture
Picture
Rubble and the Wreckage (A Gabriel Church Tale #1) by Rodd Clark

Gabriel is a serial killer and he wants his story told. Trust me he most certainly has a story that needs to be told. Christian has a college background in psychology which will come in handy when dealing with Gabriel but his true passion is writing. The great twist here is that Gabriel has not yet been captured while Christian writes his story. Gabriel has not requested Christians help in any killings or his silence in order to give him the story. The writer and the killer soon find that lines have been crossed and they're becoming friends and lovers but what does Gabriel really want from Christian?

I love this genre of novels about serial killers but was never able to find one of gay characters so when the author asked me to review his novel, I was overly thrilled…come on...a gay serial killer.....I was hooked before I even opened the book. Please don't let the theme scare you off as you will be missing out on one of the best novels that you will ever come across. I love that this novel was a psychological thriller and a gay romance all-in-one and how the author pulled it off was so brilliant, I was just amazed. I quite enjoyed Rodd Clarks style of writing and I found it so refreshing and I was mesmerized and glued to each riveting page. I found that it started so smoothly and as he introduced characters that added a great depth to the story and he never confuses you by flipping from one character to the next.

I was so intrigued by the connection that Gabriel and Christian had from the very start. Then to realize that this interview/story-writing wasn't being done behind bars as Gabriel has yet to be arrested for his killings. I thought this was one of the greatest twist I've ever read and I couldn't wait to jump right into this heart pounding novel.

The character of Gabriel was so interesting for me as he lived his life in a very realistic and honest way but after meeting Christian he finds he has to evaluate his emotional connection to this guy as he has always been able to separate sex from romance and never form any kind of attachment to anyone but that was also before he met Christian. Does he think that he can stop killing for Christian or is his desire for murder gone too far? As you can tell I completely loved this novel Rubble and the Wreckage by Rodd Clark. I can't implore you enough to read this beautifully and creatively written novel as you will not be disappointed at all!!!


Picture
Publisher:  Driven Press  http://www.drivenpress.net/
Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Rubble-Wreckage-Gabriel-Church-Tale-ebook/dp/B00T0SC02Y/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1422910009&sr=1-1&keywords=rubble+and+the+wreckage
Barnes and Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rubble-and-the-wreckage-rodd-clark/1121156429?ean=9781925296037
Google Play:
http://play.google.com/store/books/details/Rodd_Clark_Rubble_and_the_Wreckage?id=Q4N0BgAAQBAJ
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/rubble-and-the-wreckage
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/515870 

Picture
Picture
Title: “Rubble and the Wreckage”
Genre:  M/M Romantic Thriller
Author:  Rodd Clark
Character Interview-Gabriel Church

Introducing my main anti-hero Character

Age:     36
Gender: Male
Birthplace: Kentucky
Profession: Drifter
Ethnicity: White

Describe his/her body build, skin tone, height and weight. Include any unique features such as dimples, freckles, or scars:
Toned and big, sexy and dangerous. 

Who is the significant other in your main character's life? 
Christian Maxwell

Tell us about this character.
Christian is an attractive and educated man, very erudite and currently in his mid-thirties.  He is living as a closeted gay man when our story begins, but finds himself desperate to connect with someone who can break him out of his destined routine. 

How does your hero dress? 
Gabriel Church is the anti-hero of the series and dresses rough and casual.  It is his body that attracts not the denims and flannel and tee-shirts he is accustomed to wearing.

If you could only hear this character's voice (but not see him) what characteristic would identify him? 
Church is a dichotomy because he appears red-neck illiterate from the outside, but in truth has his deep profound thoughts and belief-structure.  His voice is masculine without being wordy, but his control is always sensed and displayed by the few sentences he blurts out.  His speech illustrates a subtle wisdom with a serious knife-like edge, because after-all, he has seen and done it all during his lifetime.

How educated is this character?
Gabe is street smart but even with his high school education he shows he is envious of Christian’s brain and intellect.  He considers the man an enigma and struggles with the knowledge that his life could have turned out very differently had he been given the same chances at a college education.  One that Christian has taken for granted.

Is the character book-smart, self-taught, widely-experienced? 
Christian as a protagonist is trained and educated with a background that gives him the leg-up over his peers, where Church is self-taught and possesses than skill of reading people and sizing up his competition.

Does he scrape by, live comfortably, live extravagantly? 
Gabriel survived only by his wits, and in a place where a bed with clean sheets is considered a luxury.

What is your character's viewpoint on wealth? 
Christian Maxwell was raised with financial comfort and due to his degree always assumed his life would run according to plan.  He is the exact opposite of Gabriel Church who has never known wealth and comfort but sees the futility in such pursuits, namely because he has seen the others he has killed die without fanfare and without their protection of wealth or reputation.  The rat-race of others, as Church has called it, it something fragile and easily destroyed in his perception.  He holds no interest in obtaining any financial freedom, nor does he expect to ever find it.

On what special skills does your character rely? 
Gabe relies on his ability to read others and spot their weaknesses; it may be why he is so fascinated with Chris Maxwell, his polar opposite. Christian doesn’t seem to possess that skill at all, and this creates a symbiotic relationship of Gabe wanting to protect his lover from the dangers he sees so clearly.

Are any of his skills a source of pride or embarrassment, and if so, which ones and why? 
If you were to ask Church that question in private he would easily say it was his ability to fuck, and fuck well.  He would smile his twisted grin and flash his pearly whites, but in truth the reality was that he considered himself a survivor, regardless of the odds.  He lives his life without assistance, makes no apologies and is very much the man’s man, counts only on his own abilities to get from point A to point B.

What is your character's family like? 
Church has a dismal past and walked away from his family long ago.  Whereas Christian loves his family but doesn’t seem to express pride in them or their accomplishments.  Both men have slipped from the confines of family, but for very different reasons and with very different outcomes.

Is he close to family? 
Christian is close to his family, but can go weeks without speaking to them.  Church has not spoken to anyone in his family since he left as a young adult.  But for him in particular, the ghosts of his childhood haunt him more regularly than he would care to admit. 

Does this character see morality as black-and-white, or with shades of gray? 
Church can only see in shades of gray.  His beliefs seem rigid and morally unyielding, but he is plagued by every decision he makes.  Those decisions become questionable only after meeting someone new that he forms a connection with, though he can’t fully fathom that at the time.

How do others perceive your character based upon looks, and is this assumption accurate?
Gabriel is a sexy man with a strong physique, and while others see him as one to objectify he is truly gifted with an ability to cut through the minutia of day to day existence.  Heterosexual males may perceive him to be ignorant because of his size and attire, but he has a sharp mind and a deadly accuracy with killing when he chooses too.  Women and gay males see him as a sexual being tantalizing them into lusty thoughts.  In that aspect their perceptions are correct, but only Christian gives him enough credit for being more than a murderer, or someone worth saving.

Does your character care about what others assume about him?
He doesn’t give a damn how others see him, but he cares that Christian knows him for something more.

If someone from your character's past showed up, who would he most NOT want it to be, and why?
Easily that would be his younger sister who he abandoned alongside his mother and father when he left the rural sticks of his hometown.    He regretted that most of all and that  he couldn’t remain close to her, considering her collateral damage in his reach for freedom from his past.

Can your hero keep a secret (why or why not)? 
For Gabriel Church, his life is a long line of secrets, he has been tight-lipped since he was a child but felt a unfamiliar wash of needing to unburden himself, but only after meeting a writer who agreed to pen his novel and explain his deadly actions to the world stage. 

What secrets does your character know about people around him that he does NOT share? 
He saw lust in Christian’s eyes from the very beginning and recognized the man had his own sexual secrets he’d yet to open too.  Church understands lust and regularly uses it to his advantage.  He knew Chris wanted him from the second their eyes met across the table and he toyed with him like a cat ping-ponging a half-dead mouse between its paws, and all for its own sadistic enjoyment.

What inner doubt causes your character the most difficulty? 
His growing belief that every decision he made to kill was wrong, and would prevent him from attaining a life he never thought he wanted until meeting Christian.  He only questioned his faith after many long conversations with the writer and seeing the incredulous look in his eyes.

What past event causes your character the most fear? 
That the choices he made for his own life would somehow affect someone he’d grown to love.  Church left his family, partially to spare them from himself, but he never assumed that additional murders would drag Christian down and swallow him in the undertow as well. 

What is your character's biggest need at the beginning of the story? 
To be heard, to have left some mark in the pages of a novel he wanted written about his life.

What is your hero's biggest hopes and dreams? 
Throughout the story Church finds how much he wants to make it someplace safe.  To be able to rest for a time with Chris standing by his side and to be able to protect someone he has grown to love and respect.  Despite his attempts to reach those goals, his actions to acquire that nirvana only slip through his grasp with all the unwanted heat from his murderous past making it an impossible to reach. 

What would help your character face hardship and meet any challenge? 
Not having to worry about Christian’s safety.  If it were him and him alone, the task might be easy.  He could just run and run fast and disappear amid the throng of nameless strangers surrounding him.  But he has to consider another person for the first time since he drove out of Tennessee as a young man, and never looked back. 

If your character could make any one thing happen, what would it be? 
He wouldn’t admit it openly but he would have liked to have taken a different path and never listened to the voices in his head telling him to kill.  He would have liked to have met someone like Christian and made a life for himself in that white-washed normalcy of everyday life. 

What is your hero's biggest personal flaw? 
Church has many flaws, the greatest might be his bravado and confidence, but Christian has important flaws as well; namely his inability to walk away from such a dangerous figure as Gabriel Church.

When there is a setback, what doubt or flaw surfaces? 
Chris allows his lover to make the decisions regarding his own personal safety.  He knows he could be considered an accomplice to murder in the very least and may be wanted for questioning in the death of a young woman in Seattle.  But it is a matter of trust for him and that faith is equally tested many times for him.

How does your character handle challenges? 
Where Gabriel takes challenges head-on, Christian wavers with the morality issue and losing the only person he desires, regardless of his better sense of right and wrong.

What is your hero's breaking point? 
His misconception that he can run and by leaving protect Christian from getting swallowed down by his own crimes, he falsely believes he can simply forget the writer and equate him as the same collateral damage he thought appropriate for his mother and sister.

How does your character express disappointment? 
Yes and sadness, though he tries hard to hide it.

How emotionally expressive is your character to others? 
To most, Church is a stone cold killer, but he allows his façade to shatter while in Christian’s company and exposes his twisted ideologies and warped insights about God and life, and his place in this world. 

When (if) he lies or is upset, what gives him away? 
 His pale, slate-blue eyes, they are the singularly most appealing feature of him and yet become a window that Christian sees inside and displays every weakness he possesses.

Who in his life has the power to hurt this character the most and why? 
Church would say it would be God, because finding out he was wrong about his personal mission would be a devastating blow to him.  It is those doubts that Christian brings into play by simply listening and without judgement.  It is the first indication that Church may have been mistaken all along.

About Your Writer
Questions my Main Character would answer for me in his voice. 
To honor the person who chose to share your story, please answer the following questions.


Why do you think your writer chose to write about you? 
“I think he likes the bad boys more than he’s willing to admit.” 

What do you wish your writer had not told others about you? 
“I wanted my story told, but he gave too much away, I don’t like that others can see all the shit I’ve done, particularly fucking a man.”

What other character from your book do you think your writer should write a book about, and why?
“My sister, he didn’t spend much time on her story, but then again I think he believed it might make me sad, but he’d be wrong.”

Why do you think your writer loves to write? 
“I have a story, good as any others I suppose…”

Is there anything you'd like to say to your writer? 
“Yeah, time to back the fuck off me. Write about someone else for a change!” 
Picture
Picture
Picture
Rodd lives in Dallas, TX at the moment but hails from the sticks of Oklahoma. Check out his web presence at RODDCLARK.COM. Interested in the M/M Mystery, Romance and Thriller genres but has a varied interest in many books. It has been written, that his writing has a very dark and distinctive voice with a need for deep exploration and analysis.   His latest work is the Romance Thriller "Rubble and the Wreckage" and is currently working on the sequel which he hopes to have released in 2015. 

Picture
Author Social Media Website: http://www.roddclark.com/
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/RODDCLARK
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/rodd.clark.96 
Pinterest:
https://www.pinterest.com/roddclark96/ 
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7741007.Rodd_Clark
Amazon Author Page:
http://www.amazon.com/Rodd-Clark/e/B00KGDSYSQ/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
Picture
a Rafflecopter giveaway
3 Comments

Designs of Desire (Desires Entwined Book 1) by Tempeste O'Riley 5 Star Review and Giveaway

10/12/2015

1 Comment

 
Picture


​Designs of Desire

by Tempeste O’Riley
M/M Erotic Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: July 29th 2013 (ebook/print)
Release Date: December 4th 2013 (audiobook)
Length:
Novel / 200 pages / 6h 19m

Picture
Artist James Bryant has forearm crutches in every color from rainbow for fun to sleek black for business. He even has a pair with more paint splatters than metal. After his family’s rejection and abuse from a man he thought loved him, James only just gets through the day by painting. He lives in constant fear that he’s not worthy of anything, let alone love.

As CEO of his company, Carrington Enterprises, Seth Burns is a take-charge kind of guy, and he is instantly smitten by the artist helping with his newest project. When he witnesses James suffer a panic attack, a protective instinct he never knew he had kicks in. He truly believes nothing is unobtainable—including James—if he’s willing to put in the time and effort.

James is shy and confused by Seth’s interest in him as a person. With Seth’s support, can he work through his fears to finally find the true love he deserves, or will someone finally land the crushing blow he won’t survive?
Picture
I was asked to review this book, and I agreed as I had already read this months ago, but just love this series.

In Designs of Desire, we meet James and Seth.  James is someone who has the most abominable family, and his last partner was someone who nearly killed him with the abuse. He has lost so much confidence in himself, and quite clearly believes that he is unloveable, and is very wary of people that he doesn't know.  Seth is the total opposite of James, confident with himself, and he finds himself strangely drawn to James when he employs James' company to produce some artwork for his hotel.  

James has a very good close friend called Chase (and I totally love Chase and wish I had me one of them!), and it was like he was pushing James towards Seth.  James is attracted to Seth, but due to what happened in his previous relationship, he is unsure.

It takes all Seth's perseverance to knock down the walls that James has erected around himself, and this was frustrating at times too, as Seth thought he was being caring and loving, but James saw things as meaning he was useless and couldn't do anything himself.

Just as they seem to be getting on well, a big secret from Seth's past explodes around them, and this tests the strength of the relationship they have.  Also, there are the problems that James is now encountering, and this then puts more of a strain on everything.  Is Seth able to to show James that he does love him body and soul? Will James ever believe that Seth loves him for who he is, and doesn't believe he is incapable of things?  

Picture
Dreamspinner Press
Amazon
Amazon UK  
All Romance 
Audible (audio) 
B & N
Picture
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Picture
Tempeste O’Riley is an out and proud pansexual genderfluid whose best friend growing up had the courage to do what she couldn’t–defy the hate and come out. He has been her hero ever since.
Tempe is a hopeless romantic that loves strong relationships and happily-ever-afters. Though new to writing M/M, she has done many things in her life, though writing has always drawn her back–no matter what else life has thrown her way. She counts her friends, family, and Muse as her greatest blessings in life. She lives in Wisconsin with her children, reading, writing, and enjoying life.
Tempe is also a proud PAN member of Romance Writers of America®, Rainbow Romance Writers, and the WisRWA. Learn more about Tempeste and her writing at http://tempesteoriley.com.
Picture
 ♥ Website ♥ Goodreads ♥ Twitter ♥ Facebook ♥
♥
Google + ♥ DSP ♥ Blog ♥

1 Comment

Ruin Porn by S.A. McAuley and SJD Peterson, Excerpt and 5 Star Review

10/12/2015

0 Comments

 
Title: Ruin Porn 
Authors: S.A. McAuley and SJD Peterson
Series: Resonator #1 (can be read standalone) 
Category: MM, Contemporary, Musicians 
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: Available Now
There is underlying beauty in destruction….
Miah Thade, Finn Reese, and Ritchie Meyer are Resonator, an indie rock band with an edge—best friends turned rock stars, known as the Detroit 3. When Evin Rene appears in their life, none of them can deny he belongs with Rez.
They may have named their first album Ruin Porn because people get off on seeing how Detroit went from deeply loved to thoroughly forsaken, but they’re determined to prove that blight isn’t the entire story and blight isn’t always ugly.
Ritchie, Miah, Finn, and Evin take Resonator to a level no one anticipates. But no prosperity comes without sacrifice, and no secret stays hidden without a trail of lies. As Rez’s fame grows, so does the intensity between two of its members… as well as their potential for destruction.
Evin and Finn are about to discover the underlying beauty in their ruin porn.
  
“This is not just a gripping story that ended far too fast but it also set the scene for the next book and hopefully we won’t have to wait for too long. I expect sparks to fly and I hope we get good things for Ritchie!” ~ Prism Book Alliance
“Ok, I admit, hands-down, this book rocked! It's very different from the traditional MM stories out there, and certainly very different in the way it was written, but I loved it so damn much, I couldn't put it down! Gone was my good night of sleep and the day of getting stuff done; all that stuff became non-important to my drive to get to the end of this book.” ~ Goodreads Reviewer
“What do you do when the lies you tell could destroy everything you’ve always wanted? The answer to that is……READ.THIS.BOOK to find out I wish I could give more than 5 stars!!!! …..AND I am really hoping that there will be a book 2 so we can see what happens with Miah & Ritchie (because those 2 stubborn A$ES need to get their crap together)” ~ Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy

If you are looking for a nice little romance to read - this is not the book for you. This book gives you a complete insight into what happens when you join a band and are then attracted to one if not two of the other members, throw in someone who seems to be homophobic and you have Ruin Porn.

I have been reading just m/m books for almost two years now, and I have to say, this one is so refreshingly different to other books. I admit it took me the first few chapters to get really into the story, but omg once I was in the story I got really annoyed with family life interfering and not being able to sit in the corner and read until I had finished.

I think what I really enjoyed about this book, was that you could see things from the perspective of all four men, although Miah was still an unknown quantum by the time you get to the end of the book (look forward to hopefully to reading his story soon, as I think there are a few secrets he has hidden away).

In some ways Finn and Evin were alike, and yet so different in others.... like Finn came from a family who loved him and told him so, whereas Evin had no idea of what love really meant and had never been told he was loved. Richie was just Richie, but again I think there is more to Richie than what we realise. He acts like the mom of the group, and I think a lot of this was to do with his secure home life.

The biggest thing that came across to me, was how much the media played such a big role in their lives (often not through choice), and how nothing was private. Add into the mix working for people who were coming across as such homophobes, and it is a wonder that Evin and Finn stood any chance at all of getting together. Both were hesitant with the other at first, Evin had the hots for Finn as soon as he saw him, but Finn had no idea that Evin was gay!

I totally recommend this book, I found it to be one that I didn't want to put down, and when everything completely blew up, I was closing my eyes as I knew what would happen but didn't want to read it! I hope that there is at least another story with Miah and Richie, but this one I am sure will be completely different again, due to the major issues between the two you read in this book.

PROLOGUE

Los Angeles

EVIN LAID his forehead against the grimy front door, closed his eyes, and tried to remember how to breathe.

Maybe this was irony—two doorstep vigils in this shitty LA apartment in one year—but Evin had no 

idea. He might have been one of the primary songwriters for Resonator, but putting poetic weight behind his words wasn’t the same as making sure they were neatly confined by proper grammar.

Whether or not his current pathetic situation was ironic by the strict definition was something Miah—as much as he wanted to act the dumb, egotistical lead singer—would have known. Evin smiled at the thought, then grimaced just as rapidly. The realization of just how far removed he was from the three men who had meant the most in his life for such a short but memorable time was like a physical punch to the throat and gut at the same time.

He and the founding members of Resonator had worked their asses off and fucking killed the music industry giants that told them alternative rock with a hard edge would never be massively popular again. It didn’t matter how many minds they’d changed, though, Rez was over. Disbanded. Defunct and fucked-up. It had all fallen apart so fast. Ironically (maybe), for reasons much more controversial and tabloid-worthy than everyone believed.

So much had changed in the last year that he couldn’t decide whether it was easier to start over with a new band or try to fix what had been damaged. Standing in front of this damn door yet again, he was terrified because he didn’t know what came next. The knock he was waiting for now could either bring Rez back together or put a definitive end date on all their careers. Only adding to his stratospheric stress level was the realization that he couldn’t be sure which outcome he was hoping for.

All he could be sure of was that there was change coming, and there was nothing he could do to stop it now.

He banged his forehead on the door a couple more times for good measure and muttered under his breath as he walked away, “Get it fucking together, Kevin—”

Wait.

Kevin… Evin… Fuck!

He didn’t know what to call himself anymore now that he wasn’t the bassist and songwriter for Rez.

The fans camped outside his building kept up an almost constant chant of Rezors love you and Bring back Rez. There were other more demanding and linguistically colorful phrases thrown in every now and then, but every one of them called out for Evin without fail, not Kevin.

He’d only been Evin for a year, but it wasn’t as if there was a chance for him to go back and change it—any of it—now. He might as well embrace the twenty-two-year-old man he’d become, even if he wasn’t particularly proud of who that was.

There was a tap against the door, a forlorn knock he’d been both waiting for and dreading. Then Shonda’s voice, low and soothing, reverberated through the plywood. “Security let me up. Thanks for allowing them to….”

They have no choice but to listen to everything I say. He was the one paying the four guards who verified the identities of everyone coming into this ramshackle building so that no one could sneak up and harass him. It was probably the safest the down-on-life residents of this slum had ever been.

There was the sound of crinkling plastic and the corner of a magazine appeared in the gap between the door and the tarnished, dented carpet strip. Shonda continued, “I’m just going to leave this copy here, Ev. It goes public everywhere today. I hope to hear from you. I hope it’s what you expected…. I hope maybe it changes things for Rez.” She was quiet for a moment, but Evin knew she was still there. He leaned his shoulder against the doorjamb but didn’t answer her. She sighed. “Call me.”

She knocked softly two more times, a gesture of familiarity and support, and then he could hear her shuffling away, back to the stairs, as if she was making noise so he knew she was gone and he was alone.

He waited until the silence in the hallway had dragged on for minutes before unlocking the series of deadbolts and opening his door. The magazine lying at his feet was an inanimate object. It was neither sentient nor harmful in and of itself. But Evin stared at it as if it were an exposed live wire submerged in a tank of water.

“Oh for fuck’s sake,” he grumbled, swiped the magazine up, and slammed the door shut. He made sure to click the locks home before he settled himself onto the worn futon to see what Shonda had written.

He’d made the front cover, which Shonda hadn’t prepared him for. It was ludicrous and surreal to see his ordinary bearded face—his conservatively styled sweat-soaked brown hair whipped back from his forehead by fingertips—staring back at him in the blinding black and white of a live concert shot. He immediately knew why Shonda had chosen this pic to set up her exposé. The Evin in the photograph was looking across that stage at an unseen entity, his expression equal parts rock god, lovesick fool, and insecure madman.

Evin swallowed the bile building in his throat, cracked his neck, attempting to break some of the tension, and flipped through the pages until he saw the headline—The Rezor’s Edge: Resonator’s Bassist Tells All and Yet Nothing. He skimmed the pages, getting a feel for Shonda’s writing style. She’d taken their meeting and reported it in a first-person narrative, interspersed with photos she took on her phone that day, all to give the illusion the reader was sitting at the table with her and Evin. It had been painful enough to withstand the first time around, he wasn’t sure if reliving that day in such vivid detail was a good idea. But if there was anything he had down to a science lately, it was making epically bad choices.

So he read: 

We meet at a coffee shop in some alley in downtown LA. The location is suspect at best, just on the edges of Skid Row, but I try not to worry because this is Kevin “Evin” Rene’s old stomping grounds, and his clean reputation more than precedes him. For once, he’s not surrounded by bodyguards or fans, and I know why as soon as I spot him at a back table. While the Evin of Resonator fame became a fan favorite by not disguising himself when he stepped out and was always willing to stop, talk, and take pictures with fans—the hardcore and aptly named Rezors—this post-Rez iteration of Evin is wearing a baseball cap and mirrored Ray-Ban aviators to go with his usual T-shirt, jeans, and battered Converse. He looks like every other LA celebrity trying to disguise their identity, which makes him conspicuously incognito. I hardly recognize him, especially when I realize his trademark beard is gone.

He stands when he sees me coming, removes his sunglasses, and just as much the nice guy as his rep suggests, pulls out the chair across from himself. He’d texted me this morning asking what my favorite tea is, and sure enough there’s already a cup waiting for me.

“So, Evin—” I begin.

“Please, call me Kevin. It’s my real name. Well, the name on my birth certificate. You know, the name I had before all this madness—” He clears his throat and his eyes dart around uncomfortably. “—occurred.”

“So, Kevin—”

He puts up his palm and shakes his head, interrupting me again. “I’m sorry. Evin. Call me Evin. I can’t—” He stops talking abruptly and looks away.

Now my curiosity is really piqued.

“You were the one who reached out to me after the breakup. Why did you call me?” I ask.

“I’m getting a lot of requests for interviews and without the overpaid PR reps to guide me, I had to decide when and if to speak on my own. You and I know each other, sort of, from the Made in Americana tour. I couldn’t think of anyone else I could trust. Hell, I don’t know if trust is the right word. I don’t really want to be talking to you.”

“If we’re being honest, right?”

Evin shrugs.

“Let’s talk. It’s been two months since the breakup of Resonator. You were at the top of the charts when the announcement came. Why then?”

He scratches at the smooth skin of his jawline, then stops, as if he expects to be able to pull at the hair there like he did in every other interview where things got more personal. It’s a tell I don’t think he knows he has. But he seems frustrated that his beard is no longer there to pick at, and he gives that recognizable scowl that’s more precious than menacing.

I try not to laugh. “You want something easier? Less personal?”

“I don’t suppose that’s how you want this to go?”

“It’s pointless and you know it.”

He nods, sips his coffee. “But safer.”

“I won’t argue that. Okay, we’ll start slow. Tell me about Rez. About your success.”

He visibly relaxes. “I couldn’t have done it myself. Without the Detroit 3. Wouldn’t have wanted to.”

It’s the first time he’s mentioned the other three members of the now-defunct Resonator since we started negotiating this interview weeks ago: Miah Thade, lead singer, Ritchie Myer, drummer, and Finn Reese, guitarist, known as the Detroit 3 because of their shared hometown and the lifelong friendship of their fathers.

Evin doesn’t say anything else. But his intro leads us straight to the question everyone really wants to hear the answer to, so I take the opportunity and ask it. “What happened then?”

He fidgets, grips the coffee cup in his hands tighter.

I prompt him. “It would be easy to write off the breakup of Rez on the usual suspects—stress, drugs, creative differences, burnout…. But that’s not what happened, is it?”

Evin laughs, his boy-next-door smile cranking up in response, but still far from the genuine smile Rezors remember from the stage. “It’s complicated.”

“Sounds like a relationship status on Facebook and not a contractual issue as Miah Thade stated.”

The first mention of Miah’s name out loud sends Evin’s smile into an abrupt frown. “You’ll have to talk to Miah about his statement.”

“You’re not talking to him?”

“No.”

“What about any of the other members? Ritchie? Finn?”

“No.”

“So you haven’t heard where Finn is?”

“If I’m not talking to him….” Evin’s head snaps up. “Wait. Where is he?”

“No one knows. He dropped out of sight even more than you, Miah, or Ritchie when Rez disbanded. None of the guys know where he is. His family either.”

The corner of Evin’s lip tips up into a half smile, but there’s a tinge of anger to the gesture. “He’s fine. I’m sure.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because he’ll do whatever it takes to survive.”

With the classic avoidance technique of the nonanswer hanging between us, Evin goes quiet.

It doesn’t seem to matter to Evin that he’s the one who called me. Or maybe he doesn’t realize he’s not answering anything I’m asking him. At least not with a straight answer. It doesn’t make sense. It’s been months since the breakup, and Evin was the one who sought me out.

I lean in. “Why did you agree to speak to me today if you don’t want to answer my questions?”

“I think I’m still trying to figure it all out. I don’t know when we went from this passionate connection because of our mutual love of music to a marriage that stayed together for the kids, for the fans.”

“A marriage?” I ask him, curious about his use of the metaphor since this formation of Rez is only a year old. Evin gives a shy smile, that same one that disarmed twentysomething women worldwide since he changed the face of Rez by becoming their fourth member.

“Strange choice of words, I know. But being in a band isn’t much different. Legal contracts, name changes, compromises…. Maybe we were never as invested, never as honest with each other as we should have been.”

“Maybe?”

“Definitely.”

“You obviously have something in mind that you want to say to me. Maybe that you need to say through me and this interview? To the other members of Rez? To the fans?”

Evin nods and settles against the chair. “I have to say thank you to the fans for supporting us and evangelizing for Rez. Without them, we never could have made it as big in such a short time as we did. I love all of them and will never be able to repay them for the hours of their lives they put into lining up for our gigs and showing their adoration. To Miah…. He saw something in me I wasn’t sure was there. He had faith. I’m sorry I didn’t have the same faith in him. To Ritchie for teaching me to smile again. That fucker is uncluttered in a way everyone wishes they could be. And to Finn—”

His voice cracks, and he’s rushing the sunglasses back over his eyes before I can really see, but I swear he’s crying….

Evin slammed the magazine shut and threw it across the room, unable to finish the article. He had been at that table that day. These were his words and actions. He knew what happened next. Filtered through Shonda’s perception and journalistic dramatics, their conversation in that coffee shop took on a level of melodrama he’d expected but wasn’t quite prepared for. It didn’t change the fact that he’d said things to Shonda he never thought he would admit out loud. Things he never thought he would confess to anyone else, let alone in an international music magazine with his face on the cover. Now he had no choice but to wait and see what the fallout would be.

He stared at the glossy jumble of pages where they lay on the floor next to the kitchen. They hadn’t even made a satisfying thump when he’d pitched them against the wall. He stood, bent to pick up the mag, walked it to the recycling bin, and tossed it inside with a huff of frustration. This attention to being clean and tidy had been drummed into him during the tour—it wasn’t part of who he’d been before Rez—but he couldn’t seem to break free from the compulsion. Some habits died harder than others. Especially the ones he’d never wanted to give up.

He slid down the wall and planted his ass on the cold, cracked tiles of the kitchen floor, his head in his 

hands, his knees curling into his chest. He couldn’t stop his mind from whirling around the what-ifs. The unending screams of the fans outside just made it worse. He was taunted by the memories of his time with Rez and how badly it all had ended.

Evin clutched at his chest, felt his heart stuttering under his fingertips in a way that made him understand that the heartbreak he’d written about in more songs than he could count was pretty damn close to being a real physical thing.

And while he missed them all, that bottomless emptiness he carried with him was in direct proportion to how much his hands ached to touch one of them. How desperate he was to hear that one voice. How loudly he wanted to scream at one man for taking everything they’d worked for and destroying it with his lies.

He was haunted by the memories of Finn, more than the rest of them. He had to learn how to say that name without choking. To remember his face without sadness, sickness, or pure anger.

But not today.

Today he would put some of the millions he’d earned into actually finding a decent place to live. One where security was included in the exorbitant price and he was either far enough behind a gate or high enough that he would never have to hear the fans again.

Today he would find a way to move on from this dump of a life. He had to be standing in front of a cleaner door the next time a major shift in his life came knocking.

Of course, that’s when the pounding of a fist shook the pressboard on its cheap-ass rusted hinges.

Evin thumped his head against the wall and swore under his breath.

There was only one person who would be able to make it seem as if he was reading Evin’s thoughts, only one person who would be able to charm his way past security guards who were paid to keep him out. So if he was showing up now, then another life-changing decision had been made.

And yet, Evin was staring at the same damn chintzy door.

Now that had to be irony.
 
I sleep little, read a lot. Happiest in a foreign country. Twitchy when not mentally in motion. My name is Sam, not Sammy, definitely not Samantha. I’m a pretty dark/cynical/jaded person, but I hide that darkness well behind my obsession(s) for shiny objects. I’m the macabre wrapped in irresistible bubble wrap and a glittery pink bow, I suppose.
I have a never-ending-abyss-like secret love for poetry. Especially Rumi, Hafiz, and Neruda. You can predict (as well as change) my moods and my writing schedule by my playlists.
Insomnia is my greatest ally and my nemesis. I like cheese and bourbon, not necessarily in that order, but I’m flexible.
If you’re in any fandom, then I’m probably already in love with you. I’m not joking.
I like my tv shows marathoned and I have to use internet blocking software to be productive. I have software called Producteev that I loaded onto my laptop and proceeded to fill out in detail and now I haven’t touched it in a year.
I enjoy normalized chaos.
Hit me up! I love to hear from readers.
SJD Peterson, better known as Jo, hails from Michigan. Not the best place to live for someone who hates the cold and snow. When not reading or writing, Jo can be found close to the heater checking out NHL stats and watching the Red Wings kick a little butt. Can't cook, misses the clothes hamper nine out of ten tries, but is handy with power tools. email - sjdpeterson@gmail.com
HOSTED BY:
PROLOGUE

Los Angeles

EVIN LAID his forehead against the grimy front door, closed his eyes, and tried to remember how to breathe.

Maybe this was irony—two doorstep vigils in this shitty LA apartment in one year—but Evin had no 

idea. He might have been one of the primary songwriters for Resonator, but putting poetic weight behind his words wasn’t the same as making sure they were neatly confined by proper grammar.

Whether or not his current pathetic situation was ironic by the strict definition was something Miah—as much as he wanted to act the dumb, egotistical lead singer—would have known. Evin smiled at the thought, then grimaced just as rapidly. The realization of just how far removed he was from the three men who had meant the most in his life for such a short but memorable time was like a physical punch to the throat and gut at the same time.

He and the founding members of Resonator had worked their asses off and fucking killed the music industry giants that told them alternative rock with a hard edge would never be massively popular again. It didn’t matter how many minds they’d changed, though, Rez was over. Disbanded. Defunct and fucked-up. It had all fallen apart so fast. Ironically (maybe), for reasons much more controversial and tabloid-worthy than everyone believed.

So much had changed in the last year that he couldn’t decide whether it was easier to start over with a new band or try to fix what had been damaged. Standing in front of this damn door yet again, he was terrified because he didn’t know what came next. The knock he was waiting for now could either bring Rez back together or put a definitive end date on all their careers. Only adding to his stratospheric stress level was the realization that he couldn’t be sure which outcome he was hoping for.

All he could be sure of was that there was change coming, and there was nothing he could do to stop it now.

He banged his forehead on the door a couple more times for good measure and muttered under his breath as he walked away, “Get it fucking together, Kevin—”

Wait.

Kevin… Evin… Fuck!

He didn’t know what to call himself anymore now that he wasn’t the bassist and songwriter for Rez.

The fans camped outside his building kept up an almost constant chant of Rezors love you and Bring back Rez. There were other more demanding and linguistically colorful phrases thrown in every now and then, but every one of them called out for Evin without fail, not Kevin.

He’d only been Evin for a year, but it wasn’t as if there was a chance for him to go back and change it—any of it—now. He might as well embrace the twenty-two-year-old man he’d become, even if he wasn’t particularly proud of who that was.

There was a tap against the door, a forlorn knock he’d been both waiting for and dreading. Then Shonda’s voice, low and soothing, reverberated through the plywood. “Security let me up. Thanks for allowing them to….”

They have no choice but to listen to everything I say. He was the one paying the four guards who verified the identities of everyone coming into this ramshackle building so that no one could sneak up and harass him. It was probably the safest the down-on-life residents of this slum had ever been.

There was the sound of crinkling plastic and the corner of a magazine appeared in the gap between the door and the tarnished, dented carpet strip. Shonda continued, “I’m just going to leave this copy here, Ev. It goes public everywhere today. I hope to hear from you. I hope it’s what you expected…. I hope maybe it changes things for Rez.” She was quiet for a moment, but Evin knew she was still there. He leaned his shoulder against the doorjamb but didn’t answer her. She sighed. “Call me.”

She knocked softly two more times, a gesture of familiarity and support, and then he could hear her shuffling away, back to the stairs, as if she was making noise so he knew she was gone and he was alone.

He waited until the silence in the hallway had dragged on for minutes before unlocking the series of deadbolts and opening his door. The magazine lying at his feet was an inanimate object. It was neither sentient nor harmful in and of itself. But Evin stared at it as if it were an exposed live wire submerged in a tank of water.

“Oh for fuck’s sake,” he grumbled, swiped the magazine up, and slammed the door shut. He made sure to click the locks home before he settled himself onto the worn futon to see what Shonda had written.

He’d made the front cover, which Shonda hadn’t prepared him for. It was ludicrous and surreal to see his ordinary bearded face—his conservatively styled sweat-soaked brown hair whipped back from his forehead by fingertips—staring back at him in the blinding black and white of a live concert shot. He immediately knew why Shonda had chosen this pic to set up her exposé. The Evin in the photograph was looking across that stage at an unseen entity, his expression equal parts rock god, lovesick fool, and insecure madman.

Evin swallowed the bile building in his throat, cracked his neck, attempting to break some of the tension, and flipped through the pages until he saw the headline—The Rezor’s Edge: Resonator’s Bassist Tells All and Yet Nothing. He skimmed the pages, getting a feel for Shonda’s writing style. She’d taken their meeting and reported it in a first-person narrative, interspersed with photos she took on her phone that day, all to give the illusion the reader was sitting at the table with her and Evin. It had been painful enough to withstand the first time around, he wasn’t sure if reliving that day in such vivid detail was a good idea. But if there was anything he had down to a science lately, it was making epically bad choices.

So he read: 

We meet at a coffee shop in some alley in downtown LA. The location is suspect at best, just on the edges of Skid Row, but I try not to worry because this is Kevin “Evin” Rene’s old stomping grounds, and his clean reputation more than precedes him. For once, he’s not surrounded by bodyguards or fans, and I know why as soon as I spot him at a back table. While the Evin of Resonator fame became a fan favorite by not disguising himself when he stepped out and was always willing to stop, talk, and take pictures with fans—the hardcore and aptly named Rezors—this post-Rez iteration of Evin is wearing a baseball cap and mirrored Ray-Ban aviators to go with his usual T-shirt, jeans, and battered Converse. He looks like every other LA celebrity trying to disguise their identity, which makes him conspicuously incognito. I hardly recognize him, especially when I realize his trademark beard is gone.

He stands when he sees me coming, removes his sunglasses, and just as much the nice guy as his rep suggests, pulls out the chair across from himself. He’d texted me this morning asking what my favorite tea is, and sure enough there’s already a cup waiting for me.

“So, Evin—” I begin.

“Please, call me Kevin. It’s my real name. Well, the name on my birth certificate. You know, the name I had before all this madness—” He clears his throat and his eyes dart around uncomfortably. “—occurred.”

“So, Kevin—”

He puts up his palm and shakes his head, interrupting me again. “I’m sorry. Evin. Call me Evin. I can’t—” He stops talking abruptly and looks away.

Now my curiosity is really piqued.

“You were the one who reached out to me after the breakup. Why did you call me?” I ask.

“I’m getting a lot of requests for interviews and without the overpaid PR reps to guide me, I had to decide when and if to speak on my own. You and I know each other, sort of, from the Made in Americana tour. I couldn’t think of anyone else I could trust. Hell, I don’t know if trust is the right word. I don’t really want to be talking to you.”

“If we’re being honest, right?”

Evin shrugs.

“Let’s talk. It’s been two months since the breakup of Resonator. You were at the top of the charts when the announcement came. Why then?”

He scratches at the smooth skin of his jawline, then stops, as if he expects to be able to pull at the hair there like he did in every other interview where things got more personal. It’s a tell I don’t think he knows he has. But he seems frustrated that his beard is no longer there to pick at, and he gives that recognizable scowl that’s more precious than menacing.

I try not to laugh. “You want something easier? Less personal?”

“I don’t suppose that’s how you want this to go?”

“It’s pointless and you know it.”

He nods, sips his coffee. “But safer.”

“I won’t argue that. Okay, we’ll start slow. Tell me about Rez. About your success.”

He visibly relaxes. “I couldn’t have done it myself. Without the Detroit 3. Wouldn’t have wanted to.”

It’s the first time he’s mentioned the other three members of the now-defunct Resonator since we started negotiating this interview weeks ago: Miah Thade, lead singer, Ritchie Myer, drummer, and Finn Reese, guitarist, known as the Detroit 3 because of their shared hometown and the lifelong friendship of their fathers.

Evin doesn’t say anything else. But his intro leads us straight to the question everyone really wants to hear the answer to, so I take the opportunity and ask it. “What happened then?”

He fidgets, grips the coffee cup in his hands tighter.

I prompt him. “It would be easy to write off the breakup of Rez on the usual suspects—stress, drugs, creative differences, burnout…. But that’s not what happened, is it?”

Evin laughs, his boy-next-door smile cranking up in response, but still far from the genuine smile Rezors remember from the stage. “It’s complicated.”

“Sounds like a relationship status on Facebook and not a contractual issue as Miah Thade stated.”

The first mention of Miah’s name out loud sends Evin’s smile into an abrupt frown. “You’ll have to talk to Miah about his statement.”

“You’re not talking to him?”

“No.”

“What about any of the other members? Ritchie? Finn?”

“No.”

“So you haven’t heard where Finn is?”

“If I’m not talking to him….” Evin’s head snaps up. “Wait. Where is he?”

“No one knows. He dropped out of sight even more than you, Miah, or Ritchie when Rez disbanded. None of the guys know where he is. His family either.”

The corner of Evin’s lip tips up into a half smile, but there’s a tinge of anger to the gesture. “He’s fine. I’m sure.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because he’ll do whatever it takes to survive.”

With the classic avoidance technique of the nonanswer hanging between us, Evin goes quiet.

It doesn’t seem to matter to Evin that he’s the one who called me. Or maybe he doesn’t realize he’s not answering anything I’m asking him. At least not with a straight answer. It doesn’t make sense. It’s been months since the breakup, and Evin was the one who sought me out.

I lean in. “Why did you agree to speak to me today if you don’t want to answer my questions?”

“I think I’m still trying to figure it all out. I don’t know when we went from this passionate connection because of our mutual love of music to a marriage that stayed together for the kids, for the fans.”

“A marriage?” I ask him, curious about his use of the metaphor since this formation of Rez is only a year old. Evin gives a shy smile, that same one that disarmed twentysomething women worldwide since he changed the face of Rez by becoming their fourth member.

“Strange choice of words, I know. But being in a band isn’t much different. Legal contracts, name changes, compromises…. Maybe we were never as invested, never as honest with each other as we should have been.”

“Maybe?”

“Definitely.”

“You obviously have something in mind that you want to say to me. Maybe that you need to say through me and this interview? To the other members of Rez? To the fans?”

Evin nods and settles against the chair. “I have to say thank you to the fans for supporting us and evangelizing for Rez. Without them, we never could have made it as big in such a short time as we did. I love all of them and will never be able to repay them for the hours of their lives they put into lining up for our gigs and showing their adoration. To Miah…. He saw something in me I wasn’t sure was there. He had faith. I’m sorry I didn’t have the same faith in him. To Ritchie for teaching me to smile again. That fucker is uncluttered in a way everyone wishes they could be. And to Finn—”

His voice cracks, and he’s rushing the sunglasses back over his eyes before I can really see, but I swear he’s crying….

Evin slammed the magazine shut and threw it across the room, unable to finish the article. He had been at that table that day. These were his words and actions. He knew what happened next. Filtered through Shonda’s perception and journalistic dramatics, their conversation in that coffee shop took on a level of melodrama he’d expected but wasn’t quite prepared for. It didn’t change the fact that he’d said things to Shonda he never thought he would admit out loud. Things he never thought he would confess to anyone else, let alone in an international music magazine with his face on the cover. Now he had no choice but to wait and see what the fallout would be.

He stared at the glossy jumble of pages where they lay on the floor next to the kitchen. They hadn’t even made a satisfying thump when he’d pitched them against the wall. He stood, bent to pick up the mag, walked it to the recycling bin, and tossed it inside with a huff of frustration. This attention to being clean and tidy had been drummed into him during the tour—it wasn’t part of who he’d been before Rez—but he couldn’t seem to break free from the compulsion. Some habits died harder than others. Especially the ones he’d never wanted to give up.

He slid down the wall and planted his ass on the cold, cracked tiles of the kitchen floor, his head in his 

hands, his knees curling into his chest. He couldn’t stop his mind from whirling around the what-ifs. The unending screams of the fans outside just made it worse. He was taunted by the memories of his time with Rez and how badly it all had ended.

Evin clutched at his chest, felt his heart stuttering under his fingertips in a way that made him understand that the heartbreak he’d written about in more songs than he could count was pretty damn close to being a real physical thing.

And while he missed them all, that bottomless emptiness he carried with him was in direct proportion to how much his hands ached to touch one of them. How desperate he was to hear that one voice. How loudly he wanted to scream at one man for taking everything they’d worked for and destroying it with his lies.

He was haunted by the memories of Finn, more than the rest of them. He had to learn how to say that name without choking. To remember his face without sadness, sickness, or pure anger.

But not today.

Today he would put some of the millions he’d earned into actually finding a decent place to live. One where security was included in the exorbitant price and he was either far enough behind a gate or high enough that he would never have to hear the fans again.

Today he would find a way to move on from this dump of a life. He had to be standing in front of a cleaner door the next time a major shift in his life came knocking.

Of course, that’s when the pounding of a fist shook the pressboard on its cheap-ass rusted hinges.

Evin thumped his head against the wall and swore under his breath.

There was only one person who would be able to make it seem as if he was reading Evin’s thoughts, only one person who would be able to charm his way past security guards who were paid to keep him out. So if he was showing up now, then another life-changing decision had been made.

And yet, Evin was staring at the same damn chintzy door.

Now that had to be irony.
 
I sleep little, read a lot. Happiest in a foreign country. Twitchy when not mentally in motion. My name is Sam, not Sammy, definitely not Samantha. I’m a pretty dark/cynical/jaded person, but I hide that darkness well behind my obsession(s) for shiny objects. I’m the macabre wrapped in irresistible bubble wrap and a glittery pink bow, I suppose.
I have a never-ending-abyss-like secret love for poetry. Especially Rumi, Hafiz, and Neruda. You can predict (as well as change) my moods and my writing schedule by my playlists.
Insomnia is my greatest ally and my nemesis. I like cheese and bourbon, not necessarily in that order, but I’m flexible.
If you’re in any fandom, then I’m probably already in love with you. I’m not joking.
I like my tv shows marathoned and I have to use internet blocking software to be productive. I have software called Producteev that I loaded onto my laptop and proceeded to fill out in detail and now I haven’t touched it in a year.
I enjoy normalized chaos.
Hit me up! I love to hear from readers.
SJD Peterson, better known as Jo, hails from Michigan. Not the best place to live for someone who hates the cold and snow. When not reading or writing, Jo can be found close to the heater checking out NHL stats and watching the Red Wings kick a little butt. Can't cook, misses the clothes hamper nine out of ten tries, but is handy with power tools. email - sjdpeterson@gmail.com
HOSTED BY:
0 Comments

More Than A Friend by Nic Starr (More Than Book 2) 5 Star Review

10/9/2015

1 Comment

 
Picture
More Than a Friend is the sequel to More Than a Superstar.
Picture
​Tim Walker is a free man. He’s broken up with his girlfriend and is ready to move on to a new relationship. But the relationship he wants to pursue is fraught with challenges. Firstly, Scott Richardson is a man, and only Tim’s closest friends know Tim’s bisexual. Secondly, everyone knows Scott relishes the single life. And then there’s the big one: Scott is the younger brother of Tim’s best friend, Paul.
Scott can’t deny an attraction to his brother’s friend Tim. Lean, dark-blond, and blue-eyed, Tim is hot and hard not to notice—especially since Scott and Tim work together. Too bad the man is straight, and too bad Scott worries how Paul will react if Scott hooks up with his best friend.
Tim and Scott want to see if there’s a chance for more than friendship between them, but neither of them wants to lose Paul. Together, they must find the courage to follow their hearts and find a way to have it all.
Picture
Before you read this book, you will need to read Book One - More Than A Superstar first, as the characters from the first book are a main part of the second book too.

I have to say I really did feel sorry for Tim when he featured in book one, and I was so pleased when I started to read this book to find out he was now free and single! I could understand Tim being frustrated in some ways with his friends, as they are all expecting him to be heartbroken with the split from his girlfriend….. however, nothing can be further from the truth.

Tim has noticed Scott, but he is he is wary of acting on his feelings, as not all his friends realize that he is actually bi-sexual only very close friends know this.  He is also unsure as Scott is his best friend Paul’s brother, and their friendship is so precious to him that he will do nothing to jeopardize that.  Unbeknown to Tim, Scott has noticed him too, but believes he is straight, so does nothing.

I had to smile as I read the book, as both men were eyeing the other, but were doing nothing to change things….. even though during a night out Tim got drunk, and was revealing some of his college exploits, which included the fact that he was happy to have some man on man action!  Scott is now confused, but doesn’t ask Tim what he meant.

A boy’s night at a Bad Boys concert, has Tim and Scott sharing a hotel room, but while watching the band perform, they are both eying the other, and at last Scott takes the plunge and speaks to Tim.  On their return to the hotel room, things really hot up between the two, and they realize they both have feelings for the other.

Once back home in Blue Point, the two start dating, but as they are both unsure of how the other feels, they keep it quiet, although a couple of friends notice.  A wonderful day together results in them both declaring their love, and they decide that they must speak to Paul and tell him…… and their honesty with him went down like a lead balloon…… this left Scott feeling totally devastated and Tim sure he had lost his best friend. (I also have to confess here to being really angry with Paul, and I wanted to climb into my kindle and make things right).

Do Scott and Tim stand any chance of a relationship, in light of Paul’s reaction, especially as Tim does not want to come between the brothers?  Does Paul come to his senses, and see what Tim and Scott were saying, that they were in love?
Picture
Dreamspinner Press
Amazon
Amazon UK
Amazon AU
All Romance Ebooks
Picture
Nic Starr lives in Australia where she tries to squeeze as much into her busy life as possible. Balancing the demands of a corporate career with raising a family and writing can be challenging but she wouldn't give it up for the world.
Always a reader, the lure of m/m romance was strong and she devoured hundreds of wonderful m/m romance books before eventually realising she had some stories of her own that needed to be told!
When not writing or reading, she loves to spend time with her family-an understanding husband and two beautiful daughters-and is often found indulging in her love of cooking and planning her dream home in the country.
You can find Nic on Facebook, Twitter and her blog. She'd love it if you stopped by to say hi.

Picture
Website & Blog:
Amazon Author Page: 
Facebook: 
Facebook Page: 
Twitter: 
Pinterest:
Goodreads: 
1 Comment

Walk With Me Audio Book by Cardeno C 4.5 Star Review and Giveaway

10/4/2015

3 Comments

 
Audio Banner - Walk With Me copy

WLK synopsis

Walk With Me - Audio CoverWalk With Me: Home Collection

  • Written by: Cardeno C.
  • Narrated by: Alexander Collins
  • Length: 6 hrs and 40 mins 
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Release Date:08-28-15
  • Publisher: The Romance Authors, LLC
When Eli Block steps into his parents’ living room and sees his childhood crush sitting on the couch, he starts a shameless campaign to seduce the young rabbi. Unfortunately, Seth Cohen barely remembers Eli and he resolutely shuts down all his advances. As a tenuous and then binding friendship forms between the two men, Eli must find a way to move past his unrequited love while still keeping his best friend in his life. Not an easy feat when the same person occupies both roles.
Professional, proper Seth is shocked by Eli’s brashness, overt sexuality, and easy defiance of societal norms. But he’s also drawn to the happy, funny, light-filled man. As their friendship deepens over the years, Seth watches Eli mature into a man he admires and respects. When Seth finds himself longing for what Eli had so easily offered, he has to decide whether he’s willing to veer from his safe life-plan to build a future with Eli.
*Walk With Me is set in the Home series where the books are linked by theme or world. They are independent and can be read in any order.
Picture
Well, what can I say about this story.  I have not laughed as much as I did with this one - all the Wedding disasters plus how Eli persued Seth and what he would do to attract his attention.  

Eli has had a crush on Eli since he was 14 years old, but now that crush has turned into lust and very soon into love.  However, Seth is totally confused with it all, especially as he can't decide if he is straight, bi or gay.  He will admit to himself that he is attracted to Eli, but he is so unsure of himself, that he tells Eli that nothing can happen, as he is so much older than Eli - there is actually 8 years difference between the two men - and that friends is all they will be.

Eli tries one last time to get through to Seth to no avail, and with Seths rejection still ringing in his ears, he goes away to College, but decides that if friendship is all they can have, then he would throw himself into college life, and explore his options of a boyfriend there.

While Eli is away, Seth realises with each home visit Eli makes during the holidays, that he really does miss him being around, Eli seems to be a calming influence on Seth, and also great company.  It is around now that Seth begins to question himself if he was right to push Eli away,  

I love this story, it spanned over many years, and you always knew both Eli and Seth's feelings.  I was crying with laughter at some of the mishaps at the weddings, especially the one where Eli went with Seth and they were retrieving fish from bowls....... 

This is the first time I have heard this narrator Alexander Collins, and I hope to hear more from him, his voice also pulled me into this story, and I could honestly listen to his voice again and again.
 AUDIBLE US Audible UK


Ebook Links

goodreads-small

Amazon / iTunes / ARe / Smashwords / Kobo / B&N

WLK Author Bio
Cardeno C - Logo
Cardeno C. - CC to friends - is a hopeless romantic who wants to add a lot of happiness and a few "awwws" into a reader's day. Writing is a nice break from real life as a corporate type and volunteer work with gay rights organizations. Cardeno's stories range from sweet to intense, contemporary to paranormal, long to short, but they always include strong relationships and walks into the happily-ever- after sunset.
Cardeno's Home, Family, and Mates series have received awards from Love Romances and More Golden Roses, Rainbow Awards, the Goodreads M/M Romance Group, and various reviewers. But even more special to CC are heartfelt reactions from readers, like, "You bring joy and love and make it part of the every day."
Website | Facebook | Twitter
Cafe Risqué ~ SharedBlog
Pintrest | Google+ | Youtube

WLK Giveaway

Audible copy of Walk With Me by Cardeno C.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

presented by:
promo button
3 Comments

Blue Paramour by Louise Ligon & Hunter Maine! 5 Star Review, Excerpt and Giveaway!!!

10/2/2015

6 Comments

 
Picture
Blue Paramour
Series: Blue Ridge Saga
Authors: Louise Ligon & Hunter Maine
Release Date: June 20, 2015
Pages: 344

GMR 5 STAR REVIEW-PAUL


Picture
When Brayden, a devastatingly handsome heir to a prominent Southern family, is caught in a compromising position with his handsome male lover Jackson, life as he knows it comes crashing down. Exiled from the only home he’s ever known and separated from his love, Brayden is ordered to live in Boston where he is expected to become a true man and a proper successor.

But life will show him that things don’t always go as planned… 

When Brayden encounters the mysterious and powerful, Vincent Gallaud, he instead embarks on an unforgettable adventure with his newfound king in the tantalizing world of New York City, forsaking everything he has ever known. Taking him on a journey he never expected and teaching him lessons that Daddy would never approve. 

Back home, Jackson has no choice but to consent to marry Brayden’s greatest adversary and twin sister, Annabelle Steed. Consumed with greed and longing for revenge, Annabelle will stop at nothing to rob Brayden of his birthright and his happiness. But everything comes at a price.
Picture
Introducing  Blue Paramour: Blue Ridge Saga

BLUE PARAMOUR IS A SWEEPING STORY SET IN PRE-CIVIL WAR AMERICA WHEN ALTERNATIVE LIFESTYLES WEREN’T JUST UNFAVORED BY SOME, THEY WERE CONSIDERED BY MANY TO BE A CRIME. AND THIS EPIC SPINS THE MOST DELICIOUS TALE YET, BACKDROPPED AGAINST A BEAUTIFULLY TRAGIC ANTEBELLUM SOUTHERN PLANTATION AND THE LAVISH, YET MEAN STREETS OF NEW YORK. 

BUT THIS ISN’T YOUR ORDINARY HISTORICAL ROMANCE…

IN ORDER TO REMAIN AUTHENTIC TO THE ERA AND POLITICAL STATE OF THE COUNTRY AT THE TIME IN WHICH THE NOVEL TAKES PLACE, SOME OF THE GAY AND RACIAL TOPICS MAY BE DIFFICULT FOR SOME READERS. WE ARE REMINDED THAT THE BATTLES FOR EQUALITY HAVE BEEN FOUGHT FOR CENTURIES AND WILL CONTINUE UNTIL THERE IS TOTAL EQUALITY FOR ALL.

Picture
Picture
Picture
Blue Paramour-The Blue Ridge Saga by Louise Ligon and Hunter Maine!!!

Brayden the beautiful and hot heir to a very prominent southern family is in hot water after being caught with his gorgeous lover, Jackson and now life as he knew it will never be the same. He is now been removed from the only home he is ever known and forced to live in Boston to become the man that his family needs him to be and separated from his Jackson but life doesn't always work out the way we expected to.

Brayden meets the intriguing and powerful Vincent and this new friendship takes Brayden on an adventure that he never before ever thought was possible. Meanwhile back home Brayden's twin sister Annabelle leaves Jackson with no choice but to marry the love of his life's sister who is seeking revenge on Brayden and wants to take Blue Ridge as her own and to be the sole heir. Yes Annabelle has some reason to be upset with her brother as Jackson was her fiancé before Brayden got involved.

I quite enjoyed this novel as the setting was so rich in old Southern charm and the characters were so well written in depths of pure true honesty. I'm a huge fan of historical genres and the setting prior to the Civil War was a beautiful setting of true gay romance and what the price of love actually costs. I found the pages flowed beautifully and the authors captured this setting in time so brilliantly that I found myself transported back to the old southern way of living. They were highly detailed in creating a story set in this time and the characters were developed beautifully. I'm looking forward to reviewing the entire series and I highly recommend Blue Paramour to anyone who loves reading a great true gay romance novel.

Picture
Picture
Picture

Amazon -   http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Paramour-Ridge-Saga-Book-ebook/dp/B00ZNZDYZ0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1439324037&sr=8-2&keywords=blue+paramour

Barnes & Noble -   http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/blue-paramour-louise-ligon/1122266071?ean=2940152015003

Goodreads -  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25827713-blue-paramour?ac=1

Smashwords -   https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/555008
Picture
Picture
Pulling away from his mother, he looked around to take in one last glance of his beloved home. That’s when he spotted her from an upstairs window looking down. He knew well enough that his demise would always be a happy day for Annabelle. She looked the part of a queen on high as he, the source of her unhappiness, was sent away for his condemnation. 

Silently, he picked up David Jacob squeezing him in a tight bear hug, feeling his soft hair against his cheek. His heart swelled with love and he had to quickly set him back down to avoid breaking into sobs. He gave one last hug to his mother and stoically climbed into the carriage after his father.

The horses carried the carriage away with a fervent stride. Brayden sat across from his father who looked just as tired as he did, but focused his attention to the newspaper in his lap. Brayden looked out the window in order to view anything but his father’s worn out face. 

That is when he saw Jackson sitting at the base of a tree at Sandy Oak’s farthest corner, his hands covering his face. Brayden leaned closer to the window, not wanting to lose a second of Jackson and hoping he’d look up. Brayden wanted to wave, to scream out but didn’t dare. 

Jackson, finally looking up at the sound of the carriage, caught eyes with Brayden and it seemed to destroy him the more. He stumbled to his feet, only to slump backward. His beautiful gray-blue eyes swollen from what he could imagine were hours of sadness. Brayden’s heart wrenched, feeling helpless.

It was then that Brayden realized what this meant for Jackson. He was abandoning him with their crimes, their love and most importantly to face whatever Annabelle had in store for him. Brayden watched as Jackson became smaller and smaller until he couldn’t see him at all. All seemed lost and for nothing as Brayden pinned himself to the back of his seat accepting his fate. 
Picture
Twitter - @LigonandMaine  https://twitter.com/ligonandmaine
Instagram - @LigonandMaine  https://instagram.com/ligonandmaine
Google+ - LigonandMaine  https://plus.google.com/u/0/
Facebook - LigonandMaine https://www.facebook.com/ligonandmaine
Picture
a Rafflecopter giveaway
6 Comments
Forward>>

    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.