And the winner is: Lee Todd! congratulations Lee. Hope you enjoy your book this holiday season!
GIVEAWAY! WIN Lily Adile Lamb’s new book-The Nameless One
I’m super excited to welcome my friend Lily Adile Lamb who’s here to promote her newest masterpiece. You’ll find the rules for how to win her e-book, The Nameless One, at the end of this post. Happy reading!!
One day, I was on Facebook and saw a photo of a creature who with its wings, resembled a bat, albeit with a human face. I was drawn to its beauty with the figure looking utterly lonely in a cave far away from civilization. I literally felt hurt from what I saw. I imagined how many of us feel utterly alone in crowds and I felt very sad. I instantly visualized him as a male-being longing for his loved one. The next day, I was on Pinterest looking at photos of beautiful places in the world. There was this photo of an amazing mountain under the stars… voila! I suddenly envisioned the character in both my head and my heart, along with the mountain he would call his home. I then instantly knew who would be his other half.
As I wrote this story, I imagined the scenes in my head and tried to write them down. At some stage, I was crying at what my characters were going through. I was caught up in their tale, all I could hope for was to finish their part for all of us. It had a universal message about unconditional love, acceptance and our human frailties.
The day, I released my story; I was up until the early hours of the day, anxious and excited.
The Nameless One
Blurb:
He was the only nameless one among his kind, the result of his mother’s forbidden affair with a human. He was the only one the others teased and tormented, the only one who longed for his own sex – a crime among his kind. And when he repeated his mother’s mistake with a human male, the punishment was terrible – his wings were broken, his body was crushed, and he was imprisoned in a bottle, freed only to grant the wishes of whichever greedy human found him next. And there he stayed, alone.
Faine was born different, too, his legs withered at birth, his little body left at the edge of the woods for the other abandoned ones to take in. Sylvonna the wise woman raised him in kindness, and the sheep he tended were patient with his slow, painful gait. It was a good life…only he longed for a lover of his own sex, and while there was no shame in it among his people, there were none among them who shared that longing. And so he was alone.
The forest whispered to Faine, that he would find love…that his true love was coming soon.
And when the nameless one was at last freed from his prison, his release would come on a mountain, near a forest…a forest where the world’s other outcasts dwelt. A mountain where Faine would bring his sheep to graze…
“The Nameless One” is a fable, a fairy tale, a love story about two broken creatures who are made whole at last.
Tags– #NamelessOne #Fable #Gay #LoveWins #Romance
Available at- http://smile.amazon.com/THE-NAMELESS-Lily-Adile-Lamb-ebook/dp/B018ZP5JN4/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8
For a chance to win Lily’s new book, all you have to do is share on your social media pages the link from right above ⇑. Add to your post the tags from above ⇑, then come back and post the link to your share here along with your e-mail addy. The winner will be chosen through random.org . I will post the winner’s name next Friday, December 18th, at 8 PM my time zone (GMT+2). You have until then to comment. For any questions, feel free to leave a comment below. Good luck!
The girl-with-penis syndrome and how to avoid it – advice for M/M writers
Ok, guys this post may hit a sensitive nerve for some people so please don’t bash me, but I heard a few writers complaining that reviewers call their characters too girly and unrealistic and they wonder where they went wrong. I’ve especially been thinking about this topic ever since a great author friend of mine has received the same treatment from a reviewer and I felt honestly bad for her.
Firstly, I’m gonna point out that it really is a matter of tastes on how fluffy you want your reads to be. Some readers really enjoy characters who are open about their feelings and make lots of love declarations and use lots of endearments. For those readers, these kinds of books won’t be a problem at all.
On the opposite side of the spectrum are readers who want to read about very manly men. Tough and rough and gruff guys who’d never acknowledge their feelings and when they eventually do, they spit them out through their teeth, feeling as if they’d bit into a lemon.
A total matter of tastes. I’d like to think I’m a versatile reader and I enjoy all sorts of stories as long as they’re beautifully written, and I think most M/M readers are a lot like me. However I sometimes stumble upon one of those books that sounds so freaking cheesy it makes me want to barf from too much sweetness and then I realize I do have a limit as well.
But how would an author avoid making their male characters look like girls with penises? Here are my tips:
*Don’t make your characters instantly fall in love. This is the biggest mistake a cheesy author does and, sadly, I don’t want to generalize, but I stumbled upon this mostly in shifter stories L. (guys, just because they’re fated mates doesn’t mean they need to say “I love you” from the first five chapters; give them a little room to know each other). Take this situation: character A meets character B and he’s so attracted to him that for the whole chapter he sings his praises- he’s so sexy, so beautiful, he has pouty lips, he has rosy cheeks etc. They have a roll in the sack and A tells B he’s never met anyone like him. B says the same. He suddenly calls him “babe” or “sweetheart” or “honey” etc and they act like a married couple. After three chapters, they say the “I love you”s and for the rest of the story, they will continuously reiterate how they couldn’t live one without the other, and how lucky they are to have met each other, and how much they would hurt anyone who’s dare tear them apart.
Why is this a problem:
** Ask yourself this: where’s the emotional conflict in that? Where’s the pain of unrequited love or being separated or struggling with falling in love? It’s like a situation where a single person meets up with a pair of newlyweds that call each other sickly-sweet names in public and make the single one feel like a third-wheel. Total turn off.
** Readers seek romance because they want to read about the hardships of finding love, not read about instant lovey-dovey moments. That’s not what romance stories are about. The reason why instant love makes characters so girly it’s not because girls are necessarily like (like the stupid blond cheerleader cliché. It’s just a cliché. Not all blonds are stupid, not all cheerleaders are stupid, nor are they all blonds, but that image is stuck in our collective mindset as the illustration of what a stupid girl looks like), but because it’s not realistic, because they act silly and superficial, which, unfortunately, is how sometimes some girls are perceived as. As a result, your characters will look like girls. Rarely would a writer pull this kind of plot off without having their characters look corny.
*A posteriori, refrain from using terms of endearment between the characters. Guys are known not to express their feelings much. Even if your hubby may call you “pumpkin”, try to remember how it was when you guys first met. I really doubt your husband/boyfriend called you “pumpkin” after the third date. I think it took more like 100 dates, most definitely the length of a whole novel, time-wise. Terms of endearment are a way of expressing affection. Affection takes time to build up. In order to like, let alone love, a person, you first need to know them, you need to have something in common with them. Love and affection can form after first going through some trials or after revealing to each other your vulnerabilities. Now, this is a topic that leaves room for juggling for those authors who really love their characters to be (obnoxiously) sweet. For example, terms of endearment may depend on the character’s personality and degree of flamboyance (I love to have my flamboyant characters use ‘honey’ or ‘sweetie’ all the time, but I would in contrast, make them look manly using other artifices; this is a talk for another day though) or they may be part of their cultural background. But, generally, if you want your men manly, then try limiting terms of endearment. In my opinion, no manly man would call you “pumpkin” in public unless threatened with castration. even in private, they may find it awkward. If they do call you that, lucky you; you must be very loved, but he’s one in a million. Really.
*Don’t make them whiny. This, I confess, is something my characters suffer from and I really struggle sometime to not make my men moan like some five year olds. Yes, unrequited love is a pain in the ass, fighting between MCs is also a depressing thing, but when a character lies in his bed and bemoans his horrible fate it’s not that sexy. It pretty lame. And it makes them look like girls L
*Communication is the key BUT too much talk will only make your men look like girls. Yes, I know. You’ve read in plenty of writing advice columns that you shouldn’t have a plot where everything could be resolved with a good talk. Sadly I made the mistake of writing such a story once or twice myself (LOL Listen to me talking like I’m an important person). And that’s a sound advice. You should always come up with a plot that’s real and not full of pseudo-obstacles, but that has nothing to do with character being chatty. I recently betaed a manuscript where character continuously talked about their issues and how to solve them, and after they talked, magically, everything was alright between them. Mmmm, that’s not how men act, in my opinion. As far as I know, women are the ones who want to talk about things, while men would rather hide in hole and die starving than talk about their feelings and their relationship issues. You see how talking would make them look like women? I’m not saying they shouldn’t talk at all about how they feel, but, as the writer, you should find a way to make that realistic. Have them spill out their metaphorical guts after a particularly emotional scene, not on an every day basis. I’m a woman and I find it extremely hard to talk about how I feel. I’d rather eat a pint of ice-cream or watch a TVshow (or both hehehe) every time I feel depressed than call a friend and unload my issues on them. Every time you tell someone about how you feel, you’re leaving yourself vulnerable, you’re practically giving that person ammunition to later hurt you and that’s something a lot of people have difficulty doing (smart people like me J). Especially men, who are raised to be manly and are taught that men must have pride. Well, pride mostly implies not to show your weak side to anyone. Remember the saying “big boys don’t cry”?
*No corny sex scenes. I know this might sound ambiguous and hard to understand for some people. How the hell could one avoid corny sex scenes in the first place? Sex scenes in romance books are all about showing the love between your characters, they’re kinda bound to be a little corny, right? Well, this is my humble opinion, but the hottest sex scenes I ever read (see here: Josh Lanyon, Jordan Castillo Price, Abigail Roux, A.E. Via, feel free to fill in the blanks) are often times about men trying not to show their feelings. Everything that’s going on, emotionally-wise, is strictly in the head of the characters. The sex becomes a battle between dominants, because men are equal and just ‘cause one is a bottom, doesn’t mean he’s not on top. In effect, it takes a really brave man to be on the receiving end. There are a lot of things going on during sex on a mental and emotional level (for instance, some people think about laundry during sex 😛 ). So before you start writing that sex scene, you need a little exercise in psychology: what could go on in these guys’ heads? Why are they even having sex? What’s the whole context of the plot? Are they doing it because they’re desperate? Because they can’t get enough of each other, like a freaking drug (remember there’s always a part of the addict that hates their drug of choice, despite, but also because of how much they love it)? Because they need someone to, maybe, heal their wounds? Because of revenge or in order to blackmail? God, there are so many reasons to have sex, but there’s never sex without a reason. Simple attraction is a reason. But never forget that men are always terrified of looking weak (sorry guys!) so analyze your plot and take advantage of every weakness your characters have, then use it in the context of sex. Play with their mental state and make them struggle not to show how much they love it. Even when they show it, make them just a little uncomfortable after the deed (that could definitely translate into not being chatty). I guarantee they won’t look as girly.
Well, these are some ideas on how to make your men less girly. I may not be a great writer, but I’m an avid enough reader and I’ve read plenty of amazing books to know how to recognize the less amazing ones. If you have any more advice please do share your opinions 😀
Hugs and kisses! Shayla
Psychic Storm anthology – Review
Today’s review is a bit unusual for me because I almost never read M/F, but, surprisingly, I did enjoy most of the stories in this anthology and I truly recommend it to lovers of the urban fantasy/paranormal genre. I APOLOGIZE BEFOREHAND FOR THE LITTLE SPOILERS. Because I suck at coding, I tried to alert their presence with bold writing. Here it goes:
PSYCHIC STORM: Ten Dangerously Sexy Tales of Psychic Witches, Vampires, Mediums, Empaths and Seers
Ten books. Ten internationally bestselling authors. Ten different tales of sexy psychics, empaths and seers who solve crimes, fall in love, make magic and fight to save the world.
Over 2,000 pages of extrasensory reading await, with three brand new, original novels and over 1,400 5-Star Reviews for the rest!
From Bestselling Author, HEATHER TOPHAM WOOD –– NEW REVELATIONS –– Life should’ve been perfect. Kate Edwards won the heart of police detective Jared Corbett and is coming to terms with her psychic ability. Things are blissful—until the day she meets Declan Brayden. Kate doesn’t trust the damaged and arrogant seer, but knows combining their abilities would allow her to help more people. When visions of a missing fitness instructor turn into a race against time to save her life, Kate might have no choice. HEAT LEVEL: 2
From Bestselling author, APRIL AASHEIM –– ARMAND –– “Never trust a warlock…” Before Maggie Maddock and her sisters returned to Dark Root, Oregon, a generation of witches and warlocks reigned over The Council — 13 men and women devoted to holding back the dark they believed would eventually end the world. This is the origin story of Dark Root’s most notorious warlock: Armand. HEAT LEVEL: 2
From USA TODAY bestselling author, DALE MAYER –– TUESDAY’S CHILD –– What she doesn’t want…is exactly what he needs. Shunned and ridiculed all her life for something she can’t control, Samantha Blair hides her psychic abilities and lives on the fringes of society. Against her will, however, she’s tapped into a killer–or rather, his victims. Sam knows she must go to the authorities, but will the rugged, no-nonsense detective in charge of tracking down the killer believe her? HEAT LEVEL: 3
From bestselling author, JESI LEA RYAN –– JUST A LITTLE NUDGE –– Marley Sexton never aspired to be a stripper. But it’s the only job that puts a dent in her mother’s medical bills. It’s also the only job where she feels justified using a little talent she calls nudging. But JC Moreno figures out Marley may have taken the nudge too far. Marley’s not big on trusting people, especially a man with a gun, a badge, and a story that doesn’t add up, but maybe they can work together to both get what they want…if they don’t end up dead. HEAT LEVEL: 3
From NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling author DEANNA CHASE –– HAUNTED ON BOURBON STREET –– Jade loves her new apartment—until a ghost joins her in the shower. When empath Jade Calhoun moves into an apartment above a strip bar on Bourbon Street, she expects life to get interesting. What she doesn’t count on is making friends with an exotic dancer, attracting a powerful spirit, and developing feelings for Kane, her sexy landlord. But when the ghost moves from spooking Jade to terrorizing Pyper, the dancer, it’s up to Jade to use her unique ability as an empath to save her. HEAT LEVEL: 4
From bestselling author, MORGAN HANNAH MACDONALD –– SPIRITS AMONG US –– WHAT HE SEES WOULD SCARE YOU TO DEATH. Cajun bad boy and ex-FBI profiler Jon-Luc Boudreaux is in Paris hunting a serial killer. That’s nothing new, neither is being haunted by the victims, but watching the murders through the killers eyes, now that’s something new entirely. Jon-Luc is on the hunt for the most diabolical killer he’s ever encountered, and Angela Henderson, fashion designer, is next on the killer’s list. HEAT LEVEL: 4
From bestselling author, JC ANDRIJESKI –– LONDON –– If there was ever a race-traitor job, this was definitely it. Revik arrives in London with a new job, a new home…and new people watching him, seemingly more than he has helping him watch the Bridge, a holy warrior hidden among humans to keep her safe from dark Seers called the Rooks. Meanwhile, in San Francisco, Allie has no idea that she’s the Bridge…or even that she’s a Seer. Then she meets Jaden. HEAT LEVEL: 4
From bestselling author, JORDAN CASTILLO PRICE –– AMONG THE LIVING –– Victor Bayne, the psychic half a PsyCop team, is a gay medium more concerned with flying under the radar than making waves. He hooks up with handsome Jacob Marks, a non-psychic from an adjacent precinct at his ex-partner’s retirement party and it seems his luck has taken a turn for the better. But then a serial killer with a gruesome M.O. surfaces–and no one agrees what he looks like. HEAT LEVEL: 5
From NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling author, C.J. ELLISSON –– VAMPIRE VACATION –– Meet Vivian. She’s a 580-year-old vampire who exudes sex, has a talent for drama, and is passionate about two things: her human husband, Rafe, and their resort for the undead. Her ability to project physical illusions creates the perfect vacation spot—a dark, isolated Alaskan hideaway where visitors can have their wildest fantasies come true. The powerful vamp is put to the test when she discovers a corpse in a locked guest room minutes before the next arrivals. HEAT LEVEL: 5
From bestselling author, HAZEL HUNTER –– TOUCHED –– In the world of Isabelle de Grey, eyesight isn’t the only way to see. When she touches objects and people, she looks into their past. But her gift is equal parts curse. She has yet to find the lover who can accept the brutal truth of what she sees. Isolated and rejected, she is ready to leave Los Angeles and abandon her career when she meets FBI profiler Gavin “Mac” MacMillan. Thrown together when the daughter of a mutual friend is abducted, Isabelle discovers that Mac could be the man who won’t push her away. HEAT LEVEL: 5
My review:
HEATHER TOPHAM WOOD –– NEW REVELATIONS – 4 stars
At the beginning I was unsure about New Revelations. Firstly, the story was obviously a sequel, the characters had backstory that I hadn’t known firsthand and I usually, out of principle more than anything else, prefer reading stories that come from a series in the order they were meant to be read. That instantly put me in a bad mood because I would have liked to get to know the character from the very beginning, experience their first adventures together with them. Having landed in the middle of a longer story, I felt irritated and a bit cheated. And then the heroine turned out to be this very unsure girl, sexually frustrated, not confident in her lover’s feelings towards her, barely just getting comfortable with her new psychic gift. Her boyfriend, on the other hand, seemed to perfect to be real—too kind, too patient, too understanding, and, honestly, I didn’t feel they were right for each other at all. No matter how in love Kate insisted she was in every chapter, I only felt her insecurities, rather than their chemistry.
That being said, Kate slowly grew on me, just like mold—her words, not mine. I was taken by her candid kindness and her desperate need to help people. I loved how honest she was and how sarcastic she could be. And I loved, that unlike some other heroines, she wasn’t obsessed with fashion and looking good. She’s definitely a great, lovable character. Just like Declan. Unlike Jared, Declan was real—snarky, playboy-ish, unashamed. He was an imperfect character, which made him very interesting and very fascinating.
The plot was interesting too, though a bit lacking in action. All along, there are just visions that Kate follows to save the victims, but, in fact, all the action consists in her letting the families know what happens and then crying her eyes out. There is little external conflict. In fact the real external conflict only happens at the end of the book—the cliffhanger. If you wanna read this book, I strongly suggest buying the whole series, otherwise you won’t be truly satisfied.
All in all, in spite of its imperfection, I did enjoy the story and I will certainly buy the whole series. Thumbs up!
APRIL AASHEIM –– ARMAND – 3.5 stars
Armand was a very unique read for me because it was unlike most books I read and enjoy. I wish I could rate it higher, but, unfortunately, the style really didn’t match my tastes and I had to struggle to read it, even though the execution was impeccable, in terms of plot and characterization. What I truly missed was humor and a lighter vibe. True, there was teasing between the hero and heroine, but there’s not enough to dampen the dark, depressing atmosphere of the book.
The story takes place is a strange universe where electricity, televisions and all modern appliances coexist with misogyny and primitive religious beliefs. From the start, I was particularly repulsed by the view society, in this universe, has on women.
If that wasn’t enough, the hero himself is a phychic that feeds on sexual energies and uses women to satisfy his urges without caring what happens to them after he leaves them.
I usually love imperfect characters, but I found Armand had too many flaws to be completely likable. He only managed to redeem himself at the end by righting his wrongs and his finding his father’s grave was such an emotional scene that it truly made me weep for him and almost made up for all the scenes I didn’t like.
I did like Armand, the character, in the end, especially when he insisted he couldn’t love anyone, because characters who build a wall around their feelings are the most interesting and turn out to be the most profound.
However the story ended just when I was getting into the action and starting to love where it was going.
If I were to summarize what this book is about, I would say Armand is a dark, quite lyrical tale about a lonely man’s journey to finding himself and his purpose. Although psychic gifts play a part of the story, it is more a character driven account rather than an action book and I have the feeling it’s one of those books you love from the start or you won’t ever be completely comfortable reading, depending on your personality. If you enjoy dark tales and highly troubled heroes, this is definitely the book for you.
DALE MAYER –– TUESDAY’S CHILD – 5 stars
I loved everything about this book. The plot was very good, the pacing was perfect and the characters were all amazing. It’s hard for me to find words for praising books, so usually the ones I like most get the shortest review. I will try, however to describe why this book took me from the start.
First of all, it began with visions of death. From the very first chapter I was sympathetic toward the main character, Samantha. Not only does she see the experiences of murder victims, but she feels their physical pain, which manifests on her own body. She bleeds together with them, both metaphorically and physically. Despite all that, and despite how mistreated she’s been all her life because of her unusual gift, Samantha shows incredible braveness and strength. She goes against her fear to do what she believes she’s right and, eventually, she earns people’s respect thanks to that.
But her journey isn’t easy. The police treat her like a suspect and a looney. The only person who believes in her is detective Brandt, who ends up falling in love with her. Brandt sees her hidden strength and falls in love with her vulnerable side as well as her brave side. Together they battle against the system until their voices are heard and they manage to capture a serial killer, bringing justice to his numerous victims.
In the process, Samantha learns how to open up and trust people, how to control her psychic gifts and how to rely on the people who love her. I loved that, on a micro level, her dog Soldier, whom she saved from euthanasia, goes through the same emotional journey of learning to trust. Ultimately, Soldier overcomes his trauma by saving Samantha from his former trainer, who’s none other than the killer.
I can’t wait to read the next books in this series.
JESI LEA RYAN –– JUST A LITTLE NUDGE – 4.5 stars
I had mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, I liked the plot and Marley’s powers and well as the idea of a stripper and a CIA agent solving a case together. It was original and written in an upbeat style. However, I felt like the whole plot was a bit rushed, there wasn’t enough time for a real connection to be created between the main characters. The heroine’s feelings for JC were a bit muddled.
It feels like the author concentrated so much on Marley coming off as a strong female character that she completely ignored giving her a real vulnerable side. True, her vulnerability came from her mother’s health state and her financial issues, but I didn’t feel it was enough. I feel at her core, she was all strength—no hang-ups, no bad choices, no complexes and self-doubts. I didn’t see any of that. She was smart, which I liked, but too cold, whereas, in comparison, JC seemed like a puppy drooling over her. That wasn’t a good match, in my opinion.
That being said, the writing wasn’t poorly executed at all, so, despite voicing those objections, I found it a fun and enjoyable read. If romance isn’t the main reason you buy this book…
DEANNA CHASE – HAUNTED ON BOURBON STREET – 5 stars
Wow! This story was intense. Perverted ghosts, witches, strippers, dreamwalkers, nasty exes, lesser angels, ghost hunters and…I’m sure I could come up with more if I think about it. I bet that’s exactly what the author told herself when she brainstormed this book. It had pretty much anything you could imagine. Seen from this point of view, you’d expect a disaster, but I was amazed how well they all fit together. The author managed to create a very entertaining read, lovable character and a captivating plot. That tells me she’s a master at GMC – goal, motivation, conflict. There was simply no chapter without some sort of obstacle the heroine had to overcome. I loved the pacing and the intense chemistry between characters. I’m not only referring to the sexual chemistry between MCs, but the relations between all characters. The bonds of friendship felt real, the supporting characters were strong and had their own distinct voices. I loved this book!
MORGAN HANNAH MACDONALD –– SPIRITS AMONG US – 4 stars
What can I say? This story was perfectly executed, but I didn’t fully enjoy the atmosphere. I loved that it was written from a man’s perspective and I loved Jon-Luc’s character a lot.
However, some things weren’t as enjoyable. For instance, I felt his and Angie’s instant attraction and instant “love” was a bit forced or, rather, the way the author described it all was implausible.
*SPOILER* Moreover, Angie’s experience with ghost is coming out of nowhere, like the perfect solution to Jon-Luc’s doubts. That seemed to be solved too easily and with no preamble whatsoever—another implausible detail. It’s like the author though: “Hmmm, ‘kay, I need Jon-Luc to confess to Angie he’s a psychic, but how do I do this? Oh, I know, I’ll just give her a past ghost experience! I’m a genius!” All of a sudden, when we were already at two thirds of the story with no mention of this whatsoever before this point? Didn’t work for me.*/SPOILER*
I also didn’t enjoy the descriptions of the ghosts. For me it was a complete turn-off *SPOILER* the scene when Jon-Luc has a vision of having sex with one of the victims */SPOILER* . That scene grossed me and I didn’t think it was a necessary scene either. And after that scene, all the ghosts apparitions grossed me out. If the author was aiming for horror, it was a total success.
From the point of view of the plot, however, I have no criticism, aside from Angie’s ghost experience scene I mentioned before. The plot was well-thought. The characters were charismatic, the killer was interesting and I really didn’t expect that turn of events, which is a huge plus! Unlike 90% of the stories where you know who the killer is, this one came as a surprise and it really tied the plot like a perfect bow placed over the gift box. I loved it. The scene at the end seemed a bit rushed, but all in all, the plot was full of adventure and interesting twists and the characters were really likable.
So, despite my reservations, I recommend this book. I think readers of the genre will enjoy it a lot.
JC ANDRIJESKI –– LONDON – 4 stars
In terms of plot and originality, this book was a masterpiece. I was so impressed with the universe the author has created and with the complexity of the intrigues she’s woven. In fact, this series is so big I can’t help feeling it’s all happening in an alternate universe for real.
But, the reason I gave it a tad lower rating is the lack of a satisfying ending. The whole story was full of angst and abuse. I cried 90% of the time and I craved that ending which would have made the pain worthwhile. *SPOILER* The ending however showed Allie falling in love with her abuser while Revik was forced to witness her confession and withstand the pain that came with it. */SPOILER*
From a logical point of view, I get that this was necessary for the story to come and I applaud the author for bearing to do this to her characters. I think this is one of the most skilled writers whose books I’ve ever had the honor of reading. On the other hand though, the story was so depressing and the ending so bitter-sweet that I don’t think I want to read more. Because I have the feeling there will only come more pain in the future volumes. This is not a story for those of us who like humorous, light reads.I don’t want to say it’s a story that has more depth, because that would mean implying humorous stories have no depth and that is absolute BS, but it’s definitely a story that treats very serious subjects. Disguised as a fantasy book. It’s not just a fantasy book, just an adventure book, just a story about unrequited love. It is also a story about the human condition, about abuse, about human behavior under particular circumstances. I couldn’t help feeling, at certain points, that it was a lot like a study in psychology.
London is only a prequel to a long series and the world the author built is so complex and amazing that I’m sure many of you will be fascinated. So, give it a try, see what you think. I think this is one of those that you either like or not, depending on your personal tastes and the events you’re going through in your own personal life. Either way, whether you’ll like this particular prequel/series or not, keep an eye on this author because she’s a true gem! Warning: You will need a lot of tissues and a certain bitter mood to be able to stomach some of the scenes.
JORDAN CASTILLO PRICE –– AMONG THE LIVING – 5+ stars
I may be a bit biased because the whole reason I wanted to read this collection of stories was Jordan Castillo Price’s Among the Living being featured in it. I’ve already read Among the Living twice and, even though it’s not my favorite out of Jordan’s works, it holds a very dear place in my heart because it’s the first story I ever read by this amazing author. This review is more about the whole Pyscop series, because this book is just a small bite ad the entire development of the story is much more complex. I feel the need to explain what exactly psycop is about for those readers who are completely new to M/M and/or Jordan Castillo Price’s works.
Among the Living is the first book of the Psycop series, a series about a medium who helps ghosts cross over and solves mysteries in his own special way.
What I love about this author’s books is the way she builds characters. Her boys are always troubled, rough guys who, deep inside, fear intimacy, fear opening up to others, making friends, falling in love. This series essentially follows Victor in his own personal battle against himself and his innermost fears. We see him falling in love, slowly making friends and maybe even realizing that not everyone wishes him harm.
Among the Living, in particular, introduces readers to a universe where psychics are pretty much government dogs. Victor is one of the first generations psychics, meaning that before him the people who had real psychic powers were catalogued as mentally ill. As such, Victor has been experimented on and virtually held prisoner in what his generation’s psychics called Camp Hell. As a result, Victor doesn’t trust authority figures, he doesn’t trust anyone—this is, in fact, the main internal conflict of the whole series. He was smart enough not to show his true power while he undergone Camp Hell and, even so, he’s considered one of the strongest mediums in the world. No one is actually aware of the true extent of his powers. And that is the main external conflict—him trying to keep his powers hidden.
As all of Jordan’s characters, Victor has a snarky, sarcastic personality that instantly amuses you. At the same time, readers will fall in love with him due to his unawareness to how amazing he is and, especially, thanks to his weaknesses and vulnerabilities.
From a romantic point of view, the whole series isn’t extremely graphic so I doubt any new readers of the M/M genre will be scarred for life reading sex scenes between male characters, however the books have a certain heat level and I, personally, believe the author is quite a master when it comes to passionate scenes.
I could write a whole book about the Psycop series alone so I will try refraining from singing its praises further before this turns into an essay. Bottom line is, I can guarantee this book is worthwhile and, more so, the books to come. You will fall in love with the world-building and the amazing characterization. Hands down one of the best authors ever!
C.J. ELLISSON – VAMPIRE VACATION – 5 stars
Woot! This book was written to match my tastes like a glove. Loved the very original idea of a vampire resort. Loved that it had lots of sex, yet it wasn’t so overwhelming to the point of wanting to browse over it. And, most of all, I loved the main character. She is the strong, lonely type, only truly trusting her husband. However her hidden strength attracts everyone and makes them naturally gravitate around her.
In this story, we’re shown how Vivian/Dria slowly, albeit reluctantly, opens up to others by allowing them to witness her true abilities and by welcoming new people into her family.
Hot guy, snarky humor and a meddling hostess playing matchmaker—this had all the ingredients of a really fun books. I loved the plot so much I will definitely buy the next books in the series.
HAZEL HUNTER – TOUCHED – 3.5 stars
The idea behind Touch is very nice and I liked the execution. My only complaints are the short length and the lack of a satisfying ending. I love the twist about the killer, but it felt like it all ended too abruptly. Still, this being a novella, I think the author did a great job. But, obviously, if you want to get the nice ending you’ll be waiting for, you have to buy the following books, otherwise, there’ll be no point.
I loved the characters and the way Isabelle’s powers manifests. I think it’s worth buying the whole series.
Ah, this has been quite a rollercoaster ride. I loved the whole stories in the anthology, despite not being a huge hetero stories fan. I am, however, a really huge psychic stories fan, mainly thanks to Jordan Castillo Price (OMG! Don’t I sound like a stalker?). But, this whole collection was filled with exceptional stories written by very skilled authors that I would love to check out in the future as well. I want to thank the whole team and especially Jordan for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Sacrati by Kate Sherwood – review
A year or two back I stumbled upon Kate Sherwood on a writers’ forum and took the opportunity to tell her how much I loved her writing. I was truly taken aback that such an amazing author like her was so modest, saying how she needed a lot more experience and she was just a beginner writer. Truly? Even after years from her Dark Horse series no other author has managed to write a better M/M/M, yet this really wonderful woman thought her work was just beginner level. I wonder if Kate Sherwood has any more excuses to be modest after this masterpiece .
It’s why I wanted to read Sacrati even though, to be honest, the blurb and cover didn’t appeal to me. Because, Knowing the quality of Kate Sherwood’s work I couldn’t imagined it being anything other than flawless. What I got though, exceeded even my expectations.
Like Dark Horse, I don’t think this book will ever be unpopular for the M/M readers. It will be an iconic read. The plot, the characters, they were all flawless. But beyond all that, I loved the message of the book, the emotions it makes you feel.
At first it made me think a lot of Captive Prince. The idea itself is very similar in the beginning, but then the book, thankfully, takes a completely different and original route. The action is placed in a fictional world where civilizations are divided in valleys. On one hand there’s the Torian Empire with its many valleys and the Elkat valley, one of the few left unconquered by the Empire.
Theos is a Torian Sacrati- a group of highly trained soldiers. He’s grown up and lived in a society where people are separated by gender: women live in the city, they rule over everything that doesn’t have to do with war. Once a year they choose men to conceive their children with and then men and women never see each other again until the next year. Men live outside the city, in barracks; they train, have sex and go to war. For Theo’s society, sex with the same gender is normal and natural.
On the other hand, Elkati have completely different principles. They believe in mating for life and only with people from the other gender. When Prince Finnvid of Elkat is captured by Theos and his men, he’s forced to change his whole view on sexuality and social customs.
The story would have been beautiful just like this. But that’s only one layer of the story. Mrs. Sherwood went much farther than that, layering levels upon levels of complexity to the plot. She brought in political intrigues and emotional betrayals. She forced her characters to face their fears, she made them see behind the façades and challenge everything they’ve been raised to believe in. For example, while Finnvid learns that Torians aren’t the vulgar, barbaric people he was led to believe, Theos understands there is much more to the world than having sex and going to war.
You’ll find touching pieces of dialogue, superb characterization and so much adventure it will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.
I’m telling you, you will never forget this book.
*Disclaimer – No, I do not know the author and I was’t paid to write this, in case anyone’s wondering. I just loved it SO much and I vow to bugger everyone I know to read it !
Cold Feet by Jay Northcote – review
Hello everyone! Merry Christmas! Hope your holidays are filled with warmth and love.
My gift to you is a review of Cold Feet by Jay Northcote. In exchange for this review, I received a free copy of the book.
Blurb:
Getting snowed in at a remote cottage in Wales with someone he’d fancied for ages isn’t exactly how Sam expected to spend Christmas. His feelings for Ryan are pointless. Ryan’s straight—or so he thought.
Until now, Ryan’s kept his feelings for Sam buried. Why ruin a friendship over what might only be gay experimentation? Playing it cool seems safer, until a cold snap makes sharing body heat vital. In their Welsh safe haven, anything seems possible.
As Ryan’s reserve melts away, Sam wants more than stolen kisses under the mistletoe. But a sudden thaw means making decisions. They could face the New Year together—unless one of them gets cold feet.
Buy Links:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QFN1NY8
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-coldfeet-1689541-149.html
You can find an excerpt of the story in my previous post: https://shaylamist.wordpress.com/2014/12/20/what-mm-books-to-buy-this-xmas-day-5/
My rating: 5 stars
I fell this story because it had all the themes I love (and most other readers love) – best friends to lovers, snowed in in isolated location were the heating doesn’t work (eeep!), college boys and closeted MC. Wow! With themes like these it was impossible not to enjoy the read.
Now some of you might think this is too cliché. I know some people really hate clichés. But think about it: why do clichés exist in the first place? Because clichés are proofed to work. Because people love them just as much as they hate them sometimes! If a writer takes a cliché and renders it in such a way that it makes it unique, then the readers will fall hard for the story. Such example is Cold Feet. Despite the cliché situation the characters were in, the author excelled in characterization, thus giving the story its unique voice. I loved how the story was paced, I loved that there was no hurry and, at the same time, it was filled with sexual tension. I loved how threedimmensional the characters were and I’d truly want to read more about them in the future. The story had an amazing ending that will make your heart stutter.
In other words, there’s nothing cliché about Cold Feet.
I also noticed some readers didn’t like the “miscommunication issue” (yes, I do tend to read other people’s reviews too). Not sure what was wrong about that. I think it added just the right amount of angst to move the story forward, and, believe it or not, miscommunication exists in real life as well. I blowed most of my relationships thanks to that. Read any study on relationships and they’ll tell you communication is the key. Per a contratrio, this mean people don’t communicate enough. So what exactly is the problem that the author used miscomunication as the internal conflict factor? I think people who latch on that to give bad reviews are being entirely too subjective.
So before buying any book, do read excerpts, go to the author’s blog, read about the process of writing that particular book, read about their research, their struggles. I cannot stress enough how important it is. You will have build your own opinion without being influenced completely by reviewers, who, at the end of the day, are people just like you, which makes them subjective and not truly reliable.
That being said, for what it’s worth, I really enjoyed this book and I think it was the perfect cozy holiday read.
If you wanna take my advice, check out the excerpt I mentioned above, as well as Jay Northcote’s website: www.jaynorthcote.com
Cheers guys! Happy holidays!
What M/M books to buy this Xmas? – Day 7
Here are some M/M Christmas books I have on my to-buy list. If you click on the pictures,A new window will open to the Amazon buy link. Happy shopping!
Heidi Cullinan‘s series, Minnesota Christmas:
Josh Lanyon‘s new book, “Baby, it’s cold”
Kaje Harper‘s series “Finding family” – Attention! Kaje has a NEW Christmas book that will be out real soon! Can’t wait!
Less Than Three’s new Christmas anthology
More stand-alones:
Think I can manage to read all these? Probably not, but I sure as hell will try 😀
Now it’s your turn. Do you have any Christmas recs for me?
What M/M books to buy this Xmas? – Day 6
Today I want to remind you all (for the last time, I promise!) of the Boughs of Evergreen holidays anthology. It’s a collection of various stories dedicated to holidays, and not just Christmas, but also Thanksgiving, Kwanzaa and more. All the stories I talked about at the beginning of the week are only a small part of the whole anthology pack. Each story is published individually, so make sure you go to Beaten Track Publishing’s website and check all of them out. You can also buy the two volumes of the anthology, that contain all the stories. Don’t forget: proceeds from sales of this anthology will be donated to The Trevor Project. The Trevor Project is the leading national organization [USA] providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) young people ages 13-24. For more information, visit: www.thetrevorproject.org.
BOOK DESCRIPTION
Boughs of Evergreen is a two-volume collection of short stories celebrating the holiday season in all its diversity. Penned by authors from the UK, the USA, Scandinavia and Eastern Europe, these are tales of the young and the not-so-young from many different walks of life.
Themes of family, friendship and romance take readers on a journey through some of the major holidays, both past and present, including Thanksgiving, Advent, St. Lucia Day, Hanukkah, Eid, Saturnalia, Winter Solstice, Yule, Christmas and New Year. In each we find at the very least hope, and often love, peace and happiness.
Buy links : http://www.beatentrackpublishing.com/?n1=publications&id=106 – Here you will find links to all retailers if you don’t wnat to buy from the publisher’s website.
THE STORIES: (links go to samples and author biographies)
Volume One
“A Friend for Christmas” – JP Walker
“A Midnight Clear” – Debbie McGowan
“From All of Us to All of You” – Ofelia Gränd
“Homme for the Holidays” – Jonathan Penn
“Kiss Me At Kwanzaa” – LL Bucknor
“Lion’s Hero” – Alexis Woods
“One Nightstand” – Rick Bettencourt
“Shiny Things” – Amy Spector
“The Bard and his Boyfriend” – Kathleen Hayes
“The Christmas Present” – Larry Benjamin
“The Invasion of Tork” – Al Stewart and Claire Davis
“X-Mas Cake: A Modern Fairytale” – Raine O’Tierney
Volume Two
“A Christmas Tale” – Hans M Hirschi
“A Family Christmas” – Terry Kerr
“A Good Word” – L.M. Steel
“A Little Christmas Magic” – K.C. Faelan
“Always Have, Always Will” – Amelia Mann
“An Angel in Eyeliner” – Hunter Frost
“Boyfriend Goes Home” – Laura Susan Johnson
“Christmas Commitment” – Shayla Mist
“Coming in from the Cold” – Ava Penn
“Holidays with Drum and Bell!” – Matthias Williamson
“Te Amo, You Mushrooms” – S.H. Allan
Cover Design by Tami Veldura (http://coverthepages.blogspot.com), protected under a creative commons Attribution, Non Commercial, No Derivatives license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
ONLINE RESOURCES
Video trailers
http://youtu.be/Pht-scIWiJg – 17 minutes
http://youtu.be/YbZkPKRFks0 – 4 minutes
Video trailers can be supplied as .mov, .mp4 or as DVDs on request to nigel@beatentrackpublishing.com
What M/M books to buy this Xmas? – Day 5
Cold feet by Jay Northcote
Buy links:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QFN1NY8
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-coldfeet-1689541-149.html
Blurb:
Best friends snowed in together. When the heat rises, will they get cold feet?
Getting snowed in at a remote cottage in Wales with someone he’d fancied for ages isn’t exactly how Sam expected to spend Christmas. His feelings for Ryan are pointless. Ryan’s straight—or so he thought.
Until now, Ryan’s kept his feelings for Sam buried. Why ruin a friendship over what might only be gay experimentation? Playing it cool seems safer, until a cold snap makes sharing body heat vital. In their Welsh safe haven, anything seems possible.
As Ryan’s reserve melts away, Sam wants more than stolen kisses under the mistletoe. But a sudden thaw means making decisions. They could face the New Year together—unless one of them gets cold feet.
Excerpt:
Afterwards, Sam denied he’d started it.
He’d been aiming for the tree behind Ryan, not at Ryan himself, he insisted. But whatever its intended target, Sam’s snowball hit Ryan perfectly on the back of his neck, exploding on impact and sending powdery snow down the gap between beanie and jacket.
After that, mayhem ensued. Snowballs flying as they ran and ducked, laughing and trash-talking each other. They were in a small copse with a few trees and bushes for cover, but as soon as one of them ventured out in search of a new patch of snow to make missiles with, the other would take the opportunity to release a fresh barrage of snowballs.
Finally, frustrated by Sam’s surprisingly good aim, Ryan reverted to his rugby skills and tackled Sam, knocking him full length into the snow with an “Oomph!” Of course, Ryan went down too. But by then he was too wet and cold to care.
They were on a slope, and the impact caused them to roll together, over and over until Ryan wondered if they were going to turn into a giant snowball like characters in a cartoon. But they finally came to rest, panting and laughing as the slope levelled out.
Sam ended up pinned beneath Ryan, laughing out loud. He’d lost his hat at some point in their tumble, and his hair was in his eyes. Snow crystals had caught in it, glinting in the sunlight. His smile was wide and infectious, and Ryan laughed too, dazzled for a moment. Then Sam’s gaze drifted over Ryan’s shoulder and focused on something above them.
“Is that mistletoe?” he asked.
Ryan pushed himself up and offered a hand to Sam to help him back onto his feet. Then he tilted his head back to squint at the spherical tangle of leaves in the bare branches of the tree above them. “I think so.”
Ryan met Sam’s eyes again, then realised he was still holding his hand. They each had gloves on, and Ryan wished they didn’t. He wanted to feel Sam’s skin. They stared at each other for a moment, and Sam licked his lips. They were pink, a little chapped from the cold, and Ryan’s gaze locked onto them. His heart surged, and panicky heat flooded him.
Links
What M/M books to buy this Xmas? – Day 4
Sorry folks! Yesterday my day job has been so hectic I didn’t have time to write my next post – since I’m a procrastinator it’s a given I don’t have my posts already prepared and scheduled to go live. I keep telling myself I’ll do that some time in the future, only that time never comes 😛 So what books to buy next?
Author Keira Andrews is stopping by with excerpts from her Christmas stories, one released this year and an “oldie” from last year. I’m sure you’ll find them as intriguing as I did 🙂
Where the Lovelight Gleams
Blurb:
This Christmas, actor Ryan Drake is pining. He may get to kiss gorgeous Cary Holloway on the set of their hit TV show, Space Academy, but he knows it’ll never happen in real life. Charming Cary–the son of Hollywood royalty–is straight, as evidenced by his starlet girlfriend. But Christmas is a time for unexpected gifts, and Cary accepts Ryan’s invitation to leave the palm trees behind and spend the holiday with his family at their cabin in the Great White North.
Amid the snow and mistletoe, Ryan struggles to keep his longing under wraps. Little does he know, Cary wrestles with his own unspoken desires and his very identity. Surrounded by family and holiday joy, their warm friendship deepens. Will these two co-stars have the courage to brave Hollywood pressures and take their romance offscreen–or will it be only in their dreams?
Buy links:
http://www.loose-id.com/where-the-lovelight-gleams.html
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-wherethelovelightgleams-1366219-149.html
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H2UG9X8/
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/where-the-lovelight-gleams-keira-andrews/1117793892
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/where-the-lovelight-gleams/id811256316?mt=11
http://store.kobobooks.com/en-CA/ebook/where-the-lovelight-gleams
Read an excerpt from Where the Lovelight Gleams :
Half an hour later, they struggled through knee-deep snow. Ryan had an ax slung over his shoulder, and he led the way. Cary had picked up top-of-the-line boots, which was a good thing since in LA he only ever wore flip-flops or sneakers.
“How do you know where we’re going?” Cary gazed around at the sea of trees. It was brighter at the tree farm, and Cary’s hair gleamed golden in the sun. “They all look the same.”
Ryan mock gasped. “The same? No, no. Among these trees is The One. The one true tree that I must find to bring home to my family. Usually it would be my dad accompanying me on this quest. But this year it’s you who must prove your bravery, good knight.”
Cary chuckled. “Are there Orcs in this forest? Because I didn’t sign up for Orcs.”
“You’re a Portigan warrior. You can handle a few Orcs.” Ryan changed course and went deeper into the trees.
“Too bad I left my warp blaster at home.”
The snow crunched underfoot as they continued along, away from the families and other people looking for their own trees. The sun darted in and out of the clouds, but there was no wind, so even though it was below zero, it didn’t feel cold. At least not to Ryan. Cary’s cheeks were rosy in the chill.
“Are you warm enough? Here, take my toque.” Ryan pulled off his woolen beanie hat and held it out.
“Your what?” Cary laughed. “It’s okay, I’m fine.”
“You’re not used to this weather. Take it.”
After a moment, Cary relented and slipped on the red hat. “Thanks. How do I look?”
Gorgeous. Perfect. Sexy as hell. “Fine.” Ryan’s voice sounded strange, and he cleared his throat. “My mom’s probably knitting you your own as we speak, so I hope you like it.”
Cary grinned. “I love it.” After a moment, he stopped walking. “See something you like?”
Heart thumping, Ryan huffed out a strangled breath. “What?”
Cary waved his arm around. “The trees. You looked like maybe you spotted one.”
“Right. No. Not yet.”
Ryan started walking again and hoped the blush staining his cheeks would be mistaken for a reaction to the temperature. He ducked around a particularly large pine, and then he saw it.
The sun beamed onto the thick snow-covered branches. Ryan could instantly imagine the tree strung with lights and garlands, his family’s ornaments hanging from the branches and his grandmother’s star beaming from the top. The tree was just the right height to fill the corner of the living room—not too big, not too small.
“Just right?” Cary asked.
“Yeah. You can tell?”
Cary smiled. “I can tell by the way you’re looking at it. Come on, let’s chop this sucker down.”
They took turns with the ax, thwacking away at the trunk. Cary listened to Ryan’s instructions and went about his task with a concentration that Ryan really needed to stop thinking of as adorable. As the tree fell, Cary grinned.
“Timber!” he called out.
They surveyed the tree, and Ryan couldn’t stop smiling. Yep, this was the one.
“So…now what? Do those Orcs carry the tree back for us?”
“Usually old Mr. Barnes would help take the tree back and wrap it up, but I don’t want to put him out. Think we can manage it on our own? We’re pretty far out.”
“As Angelo at the gym would say, this is functional training. Maybe I’ll start a new fitness trend: hauling trees. Of course in LA they’d have to be palm trees.”
“I think you’re on to something there. You should tell US Weekly.”
Cary laughed and picked up the trunk of the tree. “Stars: they’re just like us! They haul Christmas trees through the snow.”
Ryan grabbed on as well, and they worked in unison to drag the tree back to the farm’s entrance. It wasn’t easy work, and after a few minutes sweat moistened the back of Ryan’s neck. He put the tree down and scooped up a handful of snow into his mouth. Cary followed suit, his brow furrowed as he tentatively placed some snow on his tongue.
“For the record, we should never eat snow if we’re lost in the woods.” Ryan put another handful into his mouth, where it melted refreshingly.
“Really? Why not?”
“You can get hypothermia. But I think we’re safe here on Mr. Barnes’s farm. Even if we got lost, someone would come by sooner or later.”
“Huh. What else are you not supposed to do with snow?”
“Well, don’t ever eat the yellow snow.”
“Ha-ha. That much I know.” Cary bent down and picked up another handful before packing it into a misshapen ball. “Should you do this?”
Before Ryan could react, the snowball smacked his face, and he sputtered.
“I’ve always wanted to throw a snowball.” Cary grinned and backed up.
“Oh you asked for it, California boy!”
Laughing and shouting, they did battle, dodging behind trees and firing snowballs at each other. For a newbie, Cary had great aim. He launched a missile that Ryan had to dive to evade.
“Just like throwing out a runner at second!” Cary shouted.
“Except you missed! Need some glasses, huh?”
Back and forth they went, the tree forgotten as they dodged and ducked and hurled snowballs. They were both breathing hard by the time Ryan called for a time-out. “Okay, okay. I think it’s safe to say you’ve got the hang of it. With all the cardio you do, I’ll never beat you.”
“So you’re giving up?” Cary grinned.
“On snowballs? Yes.” Ryan dusted off his parka and wet jeans. As Cary reached his hand out to shake, Ryan grabbed him and used Cary’s momentary surprise to topple him into the snow. “But we have another tradition here. The snow job.”
Before Cary could answer, Ryan ripped the red toque from Cary’s head and crammed fistfuls of snow into his hair and down the back of his jacket. Cary squirmed and kicked, laughing so hard his breath hitched.
“Okay, okay. I surrender!”
Ryan straddled Cary’s hips and pressed Cary’s arms above his head in the snow. “You’re an honorary Canadian now.” His chest heaving as he caught his breath, Ryan smiled down at his friend.
Cary’s face was wet and flushed, and a smile played at his parted lips. His tongue darted out, and Ryan couldn’t look away. Desire thundered in Ryan’s veins, and before he could stop himself, he leaned down and captured Cary’s mouth with his own.
Although Cary’s lips were cool, beyond them the heat of his mouth drew Ryan in uncontrollably. Their tongues tangled, and the fire in Ryan’s veins shot straight to his cock. It felt so good, and he’d wanted it for so long. He breathed Cary in as Cary shook off Ryan’s grasp on his wrists and grabbed Ryan’s head and—… … … …
Holding the Edge
Blurb:
Gay figure skaters keep their relationship secret—and end up on thin ice
Misha Reznikov has an Olympic gold—and a secret lover who just happens to be the silver medalist. Now that their competitive days are over, Misha and former rival Dev Avira are setting up house in LA and giving their relationship a shot in the real world. They agree that keeping their romance strictly under wraps is best for their pro careers and Misha’s family back in Russia. So what if Dev hasn’t told his parents, and they never eat out for fear of being spotted? It’s not perfect, but they’re together.
But as they prepare for a special holiday skating show on Christmas Eve in Dev’s hometown, tension builds. How long can Misha and Dev keep their love secret—and what happens if one of them wants to stop hiding?
Note: This is the sequel to Cold War.
Buy links:
http://www.loose-id.com/holding-the-edge.html
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QJI4ZU8
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-holdingtheedge-1689871-149.html
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/holding-the-edge/id947909686?mt=11
Read an excerpt from Holding the Edge
In the barest glimmer of a crescent moon, the dark waves broke and rolled to shore. Misha leaned his forehead against the cool glass of the floor-to-ceiling window. He could watch the ocean for days and never tire of it. Behind him, Dev stirred with a snort and mumble.
Dev’s voice was sleep slurred. “You okay?”
“Yes. Only thinking.”
There was a smile in Dev’s voice. “That only leads to no good.”
After the whisper of sheets and creak of the mattress, he was there, lips soft on the nape of Misha’s neck. They were both naked, and Misha shivered as Dev caressed his ass while his other hand stole around to stroke Misha’s chest and he pressed close.
“What’s up? Aside from you at three fifteen in the morning.”
Leaning back into Dev’s warmth and the security of his arms, Misha closed his eyes to the sea. “It feels like such a dream sometimes. Being here. Being with you. Some nights I think when next I open my eyes, it will all have vanished and I’ll be back in Moscow in that tiny apartment. With only practice, practice, practice. Nothing but ice forever.”
Dev’s hands were gentle. “It’s over now. You’re here. You’re safe.”
Misha sighed. “Da.”
After a silence, Dev spoke softly. “It’s still strange sometimes. After all those years, the same routine every season. Right now we’d be exhausted from the Grand Prix circuit, and you’d have Russian Nationals next week while I’d try to squeeze Christmas into my training schedule. Sometimes I wake up and for a moment I panic because I think I must have slept in and my coach is going to kill me.”
Misha chuckled. “Yes. Very strange at times. As though we are playing make-believe. Hiding from our true lives.” Misha shuddered as the vestige of a dream whipped through his head. “Sometimes I fear a bang on the door. That they will come to take me away.”
“But you kept up your end of the bargain. The KGB or whatever the hell they’re calling themselves these days don’t have any power over you. Not since you won the gold.”
Opening his eyes, Misha tried to see Dev’s face in their moonlit reflection on the glass, but there were only the waves. He caught Dev’s fingers in his own and raised his hand for a kiss. They’d barely spoken of it since the Games, but he knew the silver medal would always be a disappointment for Dev. He had a passion for skating that had died in Misha years ago when officials had forced him back to train in Russia. “I wish you could have won.”
Dev’s laugh was a harsh burst of warmth on the back of Misha’s neck, and his body tensed. “No you don’t.”
He held onto Dev’s hand and sighed. “Perhaps not. But part of me wishes it. Truly.”
“And part of me is glad you won.” He wrapped his arms around Misha’s waist, the tension dissipating as quickly as it came. “And a big part of me still can’t believe we’re here together. A year ago I would have said the odds of me living with Mikhail Reznikov in a beach house in Santa Monica were about a bazillion to one.”
“Is that more than a billion?”
“Clearly.” Dev nipped Misha’s shoulder.
“Will I meet your parents in Boston?” Misha blurted out the question before he could stop himself.
Dev went still, his arms around Misha’s middle. “Do you want to meet them?”
“Yes. Perhaps. I don’t know.”
“I thought we agreed. We both said it was better this way. At least at first.” His hands dropped away as he stepped back.
Misha faced him and reached out to brush a wayward curl from Dev’s forehead. “It’s getting long again.”
“I’m getting it cut next week before the show. Misha, don’t change the subject.” Dev frowned. “Am I wrong? We said we’d keep this private until…until I don’t know when. I just don’t know if my parents are ready for this yet.”
“My parents know about you.”
“I know.” Dev blew out a long breath. “It’s not that I don’t want to tell them. I just want to make sure it’s the right time. Which I realize sounds incredibly lame. But it’s…complicated.” He rubbed his face. “There’s so much to learn at work, and we have the show coming up. It makes me nauseous to think about telling my family right now.”
“It’s all right. It’s your choice.” Misha petted Dev’s hair. “Don’t be upset.”
“It feels so safe here with you. I don’t want everyone else and their bullshit to ruin it. Not while we’re still figuring everything out. You’re not even sure what you want to do.”
“I thought I might…” He shook his head. “It is silly, really.”
“What is it?” Dev ran his hands over Misha’s sides. “Tell me. Please?”
“The other week I started writing. I brought my laptop outside to answer e-mail, and I found myself with words to say. A story about a boy in a castle with dragons and giants. See? It’s foolishness. I have always made up these stories in my mind, but who would want to read about such things?”
“Me, for starters. And lots of people. If you want to be a writer—write. Go for it. What do you have to lose? I think it would be amazing.”
“Yes?” Excitement sang in Misha’s veins. “Although I will have to write in Russian. My English spelling is not so good. You really think this would be a worthy thing?”
“Absolutely.” Dev kissed him. “And about my parents…I do want you to meet my family. Once my mom gets over the fact that she’s resented you for years, she’s totally going to love you.”
He chuckled. “Hmm. Yes, perhaps we wait. It is as you said—complicated.”
“They’ll be at the show on Christmas Eve. You could meet them then. Show them what a nice guy you are, so when I do tell them, it won’t be such a shock. So that means you have to be the real you. Not skating you.”
He frowned. “I am real as a skater.”
Dev rolled his eyes. “You’re aloof and cold and perfect as a skater. There’s a reason we called you Robot Reznikov.” He ran his hands over Misha’s ass. “If people only knew what you’re really like.” He nipped Misha’s neck, his breath hot. “How you are when we’re together. I love being here with you. It’s better than I ever dreamed.”
“Truly?” Misha’s chest felt so full of his heart he could hardly breathe.
“Of course.” Dev kissed Misha gently. “I love it here. I love my new job.” He huffed out a laugh. “It’s funny, you know. Only Bailey knows about you, but I’ve never been so committed to someone. We live together. We don’t see anyone else. I don’t even know why we use condoms anymore.”
Excitement bolted through Misha, everything else forgotten. “You want this too? Sex with…only us? No rubber?”
Dev nodded, his breath coming shallowly. “I know I’m clean. Had all the tests for the tour insurance. You did too, right?”
“Yes. It is safe.” Misha’s fingers tingled and he licked his lips. “I want this very much. I wasn’t sure if you…if you would…” It had been part of their fantasies when they’d had phone sex, but the real thing was different.
Dev brushed back Misha’s short hair where it swooped over his forehead. “I’ve never trusted anyone the way I trust you.”
“Ya tozhe,” Misha murmured. “Me either. How I would love to feel you come.” He grazed his teeth over Dev’s earlobe. “Love to have you fill me with nothing between us. Love…”
Yet he hesitated to say the words properly. He loved Dev. This he knew without doubt. He thought Dev loved him as well, but neither of them spoke it.
Then Dev was kissing him, and Misha stopped thinking.
Keira Andrews social media
Website: http://www.keiraandrews.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/keiraandrews
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keira.andrews.author
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1366040.Keira_Andrews
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Keira-Andrews/e/B005SWX15G/
Shayla Mist 