Showing posts with label 3.5 Stars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 3.5 Stars. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 6, 2018

#PrideMonth - New Review + Giveaway: MIDDLEMAN by Jayne Rylon


Title: Middleman 
Author: Jayne Rylon 
Genre: MM Romance
Publication Date: June 1, 2017

BLURB


A standalone novel from NYT and USA Today bestselling author Jayne Rylon.

I don’t kneel for any man. Not anymore.

I had the perfect dominant boyfriend. Then Cortez left me to save the world.

After two and a half years lost drowning my misery in bad decisions, one man changed everything.

Rogan is the perfect submissive, who puts me back in control of both him and my life.

Until Cortez comes home.

Who am I? Cortez’s bottom or Rogan’s top?

Maybe I’m both.

Maybe I was made to be their middleman.




REVIEW
3.5 Stars


I love me a threesome and the cover is seriously hot!! This is the first time I'm reading this author's work. I'm at a toss up on this one. There were parts I liked, loved and some that didn't work for me. While I enjoyed the story it wasn't a story that kept my focus and interest throughout.

I love the concept of the story and the story line itself. I think this author did a great job on the characters and the chemistry between them was amazing! This book had a good amount of drama, very little angst and instalike/love. I would have like to read more of the actual threesome relationship and the progression of that relationship. I wanted more of the everyday dynamic of this trio grow, bond and become equally in love with each other. I feel like that part was rushed over.

Overall, this was a good read. It didn't wow me but I did enjoy it and it was sexy AF!!


Read today!

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2kSwJIA



GIVEAWAY
Enter here for a SIGNED PAPERBACK
(US Only, sorry!)


Direct Link: http://bit.ly/2sxXplQ



About the Author


Jayne Rylon is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. She received the 2011 Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best Indie Erotic Romance. Her stories used to begin as daydreams in seemingly endless business meetings, but now she is a full time author, who employs the skills she learned from her straight-laced corporate existence in the business of writing. She lives in Ohio with two cats and her husband, the infamous Mr. Rylon. When she can escape her purple office, she loves to travel the world, avoid speeding tickets in her beloved Sky, and–of course–read.

Jayne is a member of the Romance Writers of America (RWA), the Central Ohio Fiction Writers (COFW) and Passionate Ink.

You can keep up with what's new in Jayne's world by subscribing to the Naughty News. 25 subscribers win prizes in each edition www.jaynerylon.com/newsletter

Chat with her on Facebook (facebook.com/jaynerylon) or Twitter (@jaynerylon)



Tuesday, January 16, 2018

Book Review - ENCORE by Candice Blake


Title: Encore
Author: Candice Blake
Release Date: December 1, 2017
Genre: M/M Romance


Blurb 

It’s been six years since I’ve been home. 
Adam Black left his hometown six years ago to pursue his music career. Now, as the lead singer and frontman of the band Kingdom 4, Adam has gained worldwide success—soaring to the top of the charts and selling out shows across the globe. But the rock & roll lifestyle is far from easy. Plagued by the pressures of fame and addiction, Adam is unhappy.

It took me six years to let you go. 
Pacey Rivers is the youngest musician to ever play in the Symphony Orchestra. On his way home after a performance, Pacey is shocked to find Adam passed out in an alleyway. In Pacey's eyes, Adam isn’t just the handsome and rugged rock God that everyone is swooning over. They were best friends in high school—almost inseparable, until that fateful day six years ago when Adam left. 

Is six weeks enough for a second chance? 
Adam is spending the holidays in his hometown before heading back to Los Angeles. Adam is straight and has never questioned his sexuality—but will he finally realize that his connection with Pacey is deeper than the ocean and thicker than blood? And it took Pacey six long years to finally get Adam out of his head—what’s stopping Adam from leaving again? 

Encore is a stand-alone, angsty, slow-burn M/M romance with no cheating and a guaranteed HEA.


Review
3.5 Stars

This is a new-to-me author so I didn't know what to expect going in. I love finding new authors and adding to my ever growing list of M/M addiction stories. This story was would have received a better rating if it was better edited. Sometimes I can overlook it if the story itself packed a punch. However, the editing issues kept throwing me off and didn't allow the story to flow as nicely and smoothly as it should have. 

Other than that this was a pretty good story. The author did a good job on the story line itself and it had great characters. I am a fan of the whole slow-burn romance because I love the build up but for me with Adam and Pacey I felt like it was too slow. I would have liked to see more of their relationship and the growth and improvement both individually and together as a couple. 

The friendship was there and they fell right back into that after so long but I feel like the whole angst part of the story was glossed over. I would have liked to see more of that play out. I mean Adam was straight and had never been with a man before and I would have like to get more detail and more emotion from that aspect. It's like he wrestled with the idea for all of two point five seconds and then suddenly he's shouting from the rooftop. 

The story wasn't too much on the emotional side and the sexy times were okay. This author had a good general idea but I think the whole wow factor of the love story was lacking. Overall, it was a quick cute read. 


Read today!

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2B43Ize


About the Author


CANDICE BLAKE is a stay-at-home mom in Toronto, Canada with two rowdy boys, three dogs, and two cats. She spends her free time trying new food recipes and looking at home decor magazines. CANDICE was a elementary school teacher before she began writing full-time.

Author Links



Saturday, December 16, 2017

Blog Tour: Excerpt + Review + Giveaway - JARED'S FULFILLMENT by Riley Hart

Jareds Fulfillment Tour Banner

Jared’s Fulfillment
Jared & Kieran Book #2
Riley Hart
M/M Romance
RELEASE DATE: December 1, 2017


Jareds Fulfillment Cover

Image by Eric Battershell
Design by X-Potion Designs


BLURB


Kieran

My relationship with Jared has lasted too long. He's mesmerizing, beautiful in his devotion, pure in his need. He reaches parts of me I thought no longer existed, places I'd never known were there. His submission is a gift. His cries of pleasure and pain call to the most primal parts of me. I want to inhale him, own him, mark him as mine. He's my boy and I need to be his Daddy, but my fear holds me back. I'll fail him like I've failed everyone else I've loved. Before that happens, I'll walk away.

Jared

I've never known security, love, or true pleasure before Kieran. With every touch, every command, every second of blissful, torturous pain, my heart grows and my soul is at peace. He protects me, spoils me, gives me what I need. Still, in some ways, he's closed off and won't let me in. But Kieran's given me strength. I've evolved, and won't accept less than I deserve...and I won't let Daddy accept less than he deserves, either.

It's a delicate balance: give and take, pleasure and pain. Together we can break each other down to our purest forms and build each other up again. Kieran always says I'm stronger than I think, but I know that together we're invincible...if only he'd believe me.

We have two choices: say goodbye or fight for what's always been out of both our reaches...fulfillment.

Warning: Jared's Fulfillment contains BDSM elements, domestic discipline, spanking, and daddy kink--without age play--between consenting adults. If any of those things offend you, reading this book might not be a good idea.

Jared's Evolution and Jared's Fulfillment must be read in order.

Jared's Fulfillment is part of the Desires Unleashed collection. Some books in this collection will have darker themes. Please be aware Desires Unleashed are er*tic and not your typical Riley Hart romance. You can expect the mental and emotional journey to be led by the physical/s*xual moments--which will be intense, frequent and kinky.




Jareds Fulfillment teaser 2


REVIEW

4 Stars

I'm so glad I continued to read this. I enjoyed this book more than the first one. This book was definitely more emotional. There was better character development and I loved that we got some of Kieran's POV. 

The angst and emotion in this story felt more real. As we get more background on Jared and Kieran in this book, it made me feel more of a connection to them. Their pasts certainly aren't all hearts and rainbows and I felt the tugging at my heart. 

I did love all the information into the BDSM Dom/Sub/Daddy/Boy relationship in the book. It gives you more insight and helps differentiate the whole Daddy/Boy v. Dom/Sub. Even though there were times where it just all felt the same to me but at any rate it was well written. Still not as kinky for me and although this was more on the emotional side, it was still.....sweet. The sex scenes yet again were hot as hell. Not my favorite from this author but she still did a good job on delivering Jared and Kieran's conclusion.


** ARC received in exchange for an honest review **

EXCERPT


“Come here, boy. Your tie isn’t straight.”

I walked over to Kieran and tilted my head up so he could fix my tie. It was silly how good it made me feel, since it was such a simple thing to do for someone, but I loved it when Kieran did the small things. Sometimes, I didn’t think people realized how much the small things mattered, but he did. Kieran thought of everything.

I smiled because I knew it brought him joy too.

“What are you grinning at?” he asked as he finished.

“You,” I told him, and then added, “Thank you, Daddy.”

“So beautiful when you say that to me.” He rubbed his thumb across my bottom lip. “I love to watch your mouth when you call me Daddy.” He cupped my cheek, leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to my lips. I savored it, nearly melting into him. Kieran reached me on a bone-deep level. My body had a visceral reaction to him any time he was in the same room. And the reaction had grown over the last month, since the night of the play. It was then when I’d quietly decided to show Kieran how much I loved him, with my service to him. When I’d decided to secretly fight for us, the best way I knew how.

“Finish getting ready. I’ll put bagels on,” he told me, pressing another quick kiss to my mouth.

“Thank you,” I replied, before watching Kieran walk out of the room. I loved the way he moved—the power in the way he held his body. The dominance in him. He filled me in ways I never knew I needed, in ways that left me forever changed. He was everything to me and I couldn’t deny that. I didn’t want to. I wanted to bask in it because, for the first time in my life, I truly understood what it was like to be happy. Secure. At peace. Protected.

After walking over to Kieran’s dresser, I plucked a pair of socks from the top drawer, pulled them onto my feet, and then slipped on my shoes before I met him in the kitchen.

“You’re going to lunch with Marco today?” he confirmed. Marco and I had begun spending quite a bit of time together. He was funny and understanding. He always answered my questions and freely shared his own stories with me. I truly liked him and was thankful for this new friendship.

“Yes.”

I walked over to help but he said, “Sit. I’ll take care of it.”


Another smile pulled at my lips; I loved the feeling of Kieran caring for me…of him telling me what to do. It made my head spin in the best sort of way. It was amazing, really, the way this lifestyle had changed me. The way it had grounded me—strengthened me. It’s not something I would have believed before my relationship with Kieran. It’s not something most people could likely understand but then…why did anyone else have to understand it? It was the way we chose to live. People often forgot that because something was wrong for them, it didn’t mean it was wrong for everyone, or hell, that it was wrong in any way.




Available Now
Jared's Evolution
(Jared & Kieran Book #1)



He wants to dominate me…to discipline me. He wants me to call him Daddy… 

I’ve always taken care of myself—worked hard to become king of the courtroom and excel in the cutthroat business of winning cases. I’m fierce…brutal…confident. I’m a lie. Underneath my armor, I’m drowning, losing myself under the weight of life. At thirty-three years old, I should be able to handle the pressure. 

My neighbor Kieran sees past my spotless suits and manufactured control to the real Jared. The one who secretly craves being dominated, to serve, and to give up control—not just in the bedroom, but in every aspect of my personal life. 

I can’t want this…but I do… When I’m under Kieran’s command—spanked, rewarded and caged—I’m free. With Kieran’s care and guidance, my mind is unburdened as my body soars to new heights, and Kieran becomes what we both need him to be: Daddy. 

It’s a journey of dominance and submission—of rules, schedules, security and discipline. He opens my world, teaches me, changes me…but he doesn’t let me in. It’s temporary, Daddy tells me, and I’d be wise to remember that, so I don’t get hurt. 

Warning: Jared’s Evolution contains BDSM elements, domestic discipline, spanking, and daddy kink—without age play—between two consenting adults. If any of those things offend you, reading this book might not be a good idea. 

Jared’s Evolution is part of the Desires Unleased collection. Some books in this collection will have darker themes. Please be aware Desires Unleashed are er*tic and not your typical Riley Hart romance. You can expect the mental and emotional journey to be led by the physical/s*xual moments—which will be intense, frequent and kinky. 

Buy today!




REVIEW
3.5 Stars


From what I read from this author so far I've enjoyed her work immensely. So I was excited to read this book because it was supposedly far from her norm. I'm not sure what happened here and I'm really torn because I love this author. It wasn't a complete bust because there were moments in the book that I genuinely enjoyed but I'm not sure this was one of her best stories. 

The start of Jared and Kieran's relationship is really awkward. There was no real build up and I felt no connection to the characters. I don't know, maybe it just wasn't more emotional or kinky enough for me. I just think this fell a little flat and I just wasn't feeling the whole Daddy thing. 

Riley Hart made a great effort with Jared and Kieran's journey. I need to see how this one plays out. Eventually Jared and Kieran grew on me and I was rooting for them to find the peace they're book looking for. For me, it wasn't an all consuming read but the sex scenes were great! ;) 





About the Author

  Riley Hart Logo 2


Riley Hart is the girl who wears her heart on her sleeve. She’s a hopeless romantic, a lover of sexy stories, passionate men, and writing about all the trouble they can get into together. 

She loves reading, flawed characters, and hanging out with her husband and children, who she adores. She and her family live in Southern California, soaking up the sunshine while also missing seasons. Not a day goes by that she isn’t thankful she gets to wake up and do what she loves. 

Life is good. Riley also writes young adult and new adult under the name Nyrae Dawn.



SOCIAL MEDIA





GIVEAWAY



HOSTED BY
MichelleSlagan---PersonalAssistantINVOICELogo---FiveStarDesigns---150ppi.png

Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Release Blitz: Excerpt + Review - LAST CALL by Christina Lee & Felice Stevens

Last Call RDB Banner

LAST CALL
M/M/M ROMANCE
CHRISTINA LEE & FELICE STEVENS
RELEASE DATE: 11.29.17

Last Call Cover

COVER DESIGN: Reese Dante

BLURB

Quinn Monahan and Grayson Page have been friends since high school. Despite their differences, they’ve been there for each other through thick and thin. Opening Last Call together, a bar tucked away in the small town of Heartsville, PA seemed a natural progression—even if it makes it harder to live with the secret longing they’ve always had for each other.

Hoping to score an easy buck and a place to sleep, unemployed circus roadie Emery Woods chooses Last Call to run a few bets and enjoy a decent beer before moving on. When he finds himself stranded, the unexpected kindness Quinn and Gray show him leads to temporary work and a couch to lay his head. Sensing unresolved history between Quinn and Gray, he squashes his immediate draw to the men, opting to avoid trouble. But as days turn into weeks, denying the attraction is easier said than done.

When the men finally give in to the simmering sexual tension, it quickly develops into more than a way to pass the lonely nights. And as they begin to lean on each other for emotional support, it becomes nearly impossible to think of one man without the other two. But while Quinn and Gray are afraid to cross the line of friendship between them, Emery fears once they do, he’ll quickly be cast aside. A real family is finally within their grasp, but unless the men can learn to trust each other, they just might miss their hearts’ last call home.




Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2BGi4Yc


Last Call Teaser 1


Last Call Teaser 2


REVIEW
             
     
3.5 Stars



I love me some good threesome romance and I was super excited to hear about this collab between these two authors. Individually I'm obsessed with their work and Christina Lee and Felice Stevens are amazingly talented writers so I couldn't wait to see what they conjured up when they put their creative minds together. 

I loved the characters. Emery, Quinn and Gray had all these great qualities to them and it was an instant liking to them. They each have their sad backgrounds, however I feel like each of their stories were just kind of glossed over. It was hard for me to feel any sort of emotion for them and for what they went through. I didn't get that heartbreaking, I want to cuddle them feeling I usually get when reading a Felice Stevens or a Christina Lee story. Besides the sexual chemistry between the characters and the sexy times, I really felt no emotion from the story. No real connection with the characters. Even in some of the sex scenes I struggled because I felt that even though the three men were there sometimes it just didn't feel like they were all included. 

I found it to be on the sweet and soft side. But for an MMM story, I just needed a little bit more UMPH and a lot more emotion. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed the story. Who doesn't love reading about three men finally finding a place where they belong, finding hope, peace and love.  It was a good read and I absolutely adore these authors. 

** ARC received in exchange for an honest review **


EXCERPT


Holy fucking hell. That had been one of the best orgasms of my life.
As the fog in my brain began to clear, Quinn stood up and hesitantly swiped at his mouth as if unsure of himself all over again. The fact that he’d just sucked me off didn’t seem lost on him. But Christ, it had been incredible, like a damned gift.
Something sharp pierced inside my chest, and I did the only thing that came to mind. I gripped his face and fused our mouths together. He whimpered, his fingers clutching at my waist and he sank against me as if in relief.
My tongue flicked out to brush briefly against his before pushing past his lips and finally—finally—tasting all of him. I sucked on his tongue and lips, jaw and throat, as his hands skimmed over my back, his nails digging into my hips, leaving scarcely a sliver of space between us.

“Gray,” he moaned against my lips as I entwined our fingers and pulled them behind his back. Our chests slicked together, our groins pressing, our mouths meeting in deep and bruising kisses. The room faded away, the sound blotted, and all I could focus on was devouring my best friend’s mouth.


  Christina Lee Logo

Mother, wife, reader, dreamer. Christina lives in the Midwest with her husband and son--her two favorite guys. She's addicted to lip balm, coffee, and kissing. Because everything is better with kissing. 

 She writes MM Contemporary as well as Adult and New Adult Romance. She believes in happily-ever-afters for all, so reading and writing romance for everybody under the rainbow helps quench her soul.

Website
Facebook
FB Group: The Swoon Room
Instagram
Newsletter


Felice Logo


Felice Stevens has always been a romantic at heart. While life is tough, she believes there is a happy ending for everyone. She started reading traditional historical romances as a teenager, then life and law school got in the way. It wasn't until she picked up a copy of Bertrice Small and became swept away to Queen Elizabeth's court that her interest in romance novels was renewed.

But somewhere along the way, her reading shifted to stories of men falling in love. Once she picked up her first gay romance, she became so enamored of the character-driven stories and the overwhelming emotion there was no turning back.

Felice lives in New York City with her husband and two children. Her day begins with a lot of caffeine and ends with a glass or two of red wine. Although she practices law, she daydreams of a time when she can sit by a beach and write beautiful stories of men falling in love. Although there is bound to be some angst along the way, a Happily Ever After is always guaranteed.



SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

Twitter
Pinterest
Goodreads
Instagram
Author Page

Saturday, November 4, 2017

Blog Tour: Excerpt + Review + Giveaway - NO FILTER by Nora Phoenix

No Filter Tour Banner

No Filter
No Shame Series Book 1
Nora Phoenix
M/M Romance
October 26, 2017

No Filter cover

Cover Design: Sloan Johnson/Sloan J Design



BLURB

Indy will do anything to prevent his mobster ex from finding him. Their last encounter left Indy recovering for months in the hospital, and ever since he’s become an expert at hiding in plain sight. Determined to stay under the radar, he takes on a new identity and moves from place to place. His life has no room for friendships, let alone love, so he keeps his heart firmly closed. After all, he has nothing to offer but a damaged body and a broken soul. Plus, he’s so done with men. Until he meets the man who breaks through all his defenses.

Former Army Medic Noah came back damaged from his last tour—in more than one way. Between supporting his best friend who’s struggling with PTSD, dealing with his own issues, and the stress of his job as a physician assistant, rebuilding his life seems impossible. There's little time for what Noah needs, let alone for what he wants. When he meets Indy, Noah discovers what he wants more than anything: for Indy to stay.

Indy never expected the strong, confident Noah to be as damaged and broken as himself. But what will happen if he starts letting Noah in? Indy knows he should run to protect himself and Noah.
Noah needs Indy to stay more than anything. But will what little he has to offer be enough to make Indy trust him and stay?

No Filter is a steamy M/M romance that ends with a HFN, but with the promise of a HEA. It’s the first book in the No Shame Series, and is not a stand-alone novel. It contains hot sex, a hint of a ménage, lots of talk about hot sex, flashbacks of said hot sex, and…Oh well, you get the idea. Also: trigger warning for mentions of sexual abuse.




Review 
3.5 Stars


This is a debut novel from this author and I think that she did a good job. This was an enjoyable read and the characters are very likeable. I mean who doesn’t love them some broken men who are not ashamed or afraid to show their emotions and fiercely loyal and protective of each other?! There’s just something about a broken soul that tugs at your heart strings.

So as much as I loved the characters I was quite confused on the actual story line of the book. Going in I thought this was about Indy and Noah finding love while Indy is in hiding from his mobster ex, right? I mean that’s what the blurb alludes to.  So, how do we end up with a threesome but it’s not really a threesome. But the three of them love each other and there’s sex between them but not exactly a ménage per se. Although we get the reasoning as to the “why” Noah and his best friend Josh have sex it just kinda threw me off when it started getting to that point.

I mean don’t get me wrong, it’s hot AF! This author can write some steamy sex scenes, which I’m all for, and it was well written for a debut novel. It was just a tad confusing is all. There really wasn’t a story here just learning about these three men and getting some of their history. No mobster ex coming after and stirring up trouble or danger. A fourth character pops in the mix. I mean I guess it was also the build-up to Indy and Noah’s “relationship” but Josh is still in the picture. Grrrrr….I’m at a toss-up because it was a good read to learn about these characters and the sex was hot. I’m intrigued and I would like to see where this story goes and where these characters end up so I am looking forward to the next book.

Maybe that’s what this author’s intentions were. Sly sly devil you!! Let’s confuse, tease, and intrigue the shit out of them so they come back for more……. Well played Nora Phoenix! Well played! I’ll catch you on the next one! J


** ARC received in exchange for an honest review **


Teaser No Filter 1



EXCERPT


Dressed in a T-shirt and flannel PJ bottoms, Indy made his way downstairs. Autumn had started, setting the trees in the yard on fire in an explosion of red, orange, and yellow, and bringing cold nights, but downstairs it was comfortably warm. Noah was reading the paper in his usual spot, but Josh was nowhere to be seen.
“Morning,” Indy said, always a bit shy at first when it was only him and Noah. 
“Hey. How are you feeling?” Noah never failed to ask Indy this, and it wasn’t a polite question.
“Good. Haven’t my felt my ribs in two days, so I’m officially pain free.”
Indy grabbed a bowl from the cabinet.
“Perfect. We’ll cut off your cast today. I didn’t think you’d want to do an official hospital visit for that, right?”
Indy shook his head, carefully cutting a banana on a cutting board with one hand and putting it in the bowl. He took yogurt from the fridge. “Not if I can avoid it.”
“Well, you’re lucky you have a highly skilled medical professional at your disposal, who’s willing to do a house visit.”
Indy grinned as he sprinkled crunchy granola on top of his yogurt. “Don’t know about the highly skilled part, but at least he’s free.”
“That hurt.” A smile tugged at the corners of Noah’s mouth. “My price just went up.”
“Double times nothing is still nothing, you do realize that?” Indy took a bite of his breakfast. He loved these verbal matches with Noah almost as much as not having to worry about what to eat for breakfast every day. 
“Who says it was free to begin with? I only offered my skilled services, never said they were free.”
“So what’s your price?” Indy asked, expecting Noah to launch another joke.
“I want you for the entire day,” Noah said.
Indy frowned, quickly chewing to empty his mouth. “What do you mean?”
Noah reached out and circled Indy’s good wrist with his right hand, gently pulled until Indy was standing between his legs. “It’s my day off, and Josh has some special therapy session, so he’s gone all day. I want to spend the entire day with you, and you have to do exactly what I tell you.”




About the Author


  Nora Logo Black


When she was a little tot, Nora’s mom got a library subscription for her. That, as they say, was that, and a lifelong love for books was born. Nora never stopped reading and doesn’t exaggerate when she says she devours books, rather than plain reads them. She started writing stories as soon as she could hold a pen, and wrote her first full book as a teen (on a typewriter!). It took her waaaay too long to follow her dream to become a romance author.

Nora writes M/M romance, because hello, sexy boys, and likes her men flawed, strong, and a tad broken. She appreciates a little kink, but insists on a happy ever after.


SOCIAL MEDIA


Facebook Author Page
https://www.facebook.com/authornoraphoenix/
Facebook Group Nora’s Nook
Newsletter
Twitter
Website



GIVEAWAY