Saturday, June 28, 2014

The Opposites Series by TM Smith

The Opposites Series Blog Tour
TM Smith
synopsis
Book 1 - The Opposites
In the year 2081 our planet survived global warming of an apocalyptic scale. When the dust settled and the water receded Dr. Anthony Smith, one of only a few hundred survivors of GWI, started society anew. Having come to the conclusion that injudicious breeding played a huge role in the destruction of Earth as we knew it in the twenty first century, he worked closely with other survivors to isolate the Dionysus gene. This gene has the ability to manipulate human DNA to ensure that all male children be born gay, and all female children be born lesbians. A new society is born.
In the year 2300 Dr. Smith’s descendants are ushering in the twenty fourth century having maintained control of the government that still rules society. Twins Aiya and Aiyan are preparing to meet their matches and take control of House Gaeland, the current ruling House. But not everything is as it seems.
Love is Love.. it knows no gender and doesn’t conform to restrictions and boundaries. Aiyan has found his soul mate in Kaden, the prince of House Devi that he is matched with and eventually marries. But when the person Aiya falls in love with tests the boundaries put in place after GWI, all hell breaks loose. And in the midst of one secret unraveling, another will emerge. There is a growing anomaly that threatens to destroy over two hundred years of progression. This anomaly is known as Opposites.
*WARNING* Opposites is a majorly M/M New Adult novel that contains explicit sexual content and relationships between gay, lesbian and straight couples
Book 2 (Novella) – The Library
The Library, an Opposites Novella, by TM Smith
Three gay couples run amuck in this short story where clothing, beds, even four walls are all optional!
Want to know what happened that night in the library?
Cirian and Rian had a fight in the library and Rian ends up naked on the desk, on his back, at Cirian's mercy.
Want to know how far things went with ice cream?
A romantic evening by the fire feeding his husband ice cream leads to a lot more than heavy petting for Aiyan and Kaden.
Want to know what was going on when those birds fled?
Travelling hundreds of miles, battling the rebels and then travelling back to House Gaeland will take it out of you. But when Tanis wants something, he takes it. Raven is about to be bent over a tree!
A Note from the Author:
I've taken three scenes from Opposites that were cut short and elaborated on the shenanigans that ensued. I also focused more in the beginning on the relationship between Cirian and Rian, to give readers a chance to know them and their inner workings better.
**Warning, The Library is a novella set in the same world as Opposites. It's an adult dystopian M/M novella that includes consenting and explicit sexual relationships between gay couples**
Pictures3 (4)
Buy Links
The Opposites
The Library
Pictures3
excerpt
Excerpts for Opposites {warning, Opposites is an Adult Dystopian majorly M/M series, this sneak peak may contain content not suitable for those under the age of 18, viewer discretion is advised}
Meanwhile in the forest, Aiyan stood in the shadow of the tree. His bow was cocked and ready as the deer trotted into view close to the stream. Kaden stood to his left directly behind the tree, watching the intensity in his features as he stalked his prey. His jaw was set and his brown eyes sparkled, the muscles in his arm were tensed and solid as he held his bow in place, taking aim at the deer. His mouth was just slightly upturned on one side forming that devilish, crooked grin Kaden had come to love more than anything.
Kaden thought back to the first time they kissed and that first night alone with Aiyan in his room, his body held firmly between Aiyan’s and the wall as he ran his hands down Kaden’s body and nipped at his ear. Instinctively he reached out and ran his thumb along Aiyan’s jaw line just as he released the arrow. The sound of metal hitting flesh as the arrow penetrated the deer’s soft skin could just be heard, and then the unmistakable thud as the now lifeless animal hit the ground.
Aiyan stepped to the side and pinned Kaden against the tree, cupping his crotch in his hand tightly and crashing their mouths together. Again, instinctively, Kaden moved into his touch and his lips, moaning softly. Aiyan smiled into the kiss and whispered, "Kaden, love, you’re killing me."
Kaden pulled back and laughed. "Me?!" I think you need to look again my prince, I’m the one pinned to this tree while you…." he moaned again and
closed his eyes, leaning back into the tree as Aiyan squeezed gently. He leaned in and kissed his neck then sucked at the sensitive flesh there.
"Soon, M’anam. The Mehndi ceremony is tomorrow, and then the wedding, and then…" He let the sentence linger in the air as he ran his nose across Kaden’s cheek, bringing their lips together for another kiss. They settled into a more appropriate, affectionate stance just before Rian cleared his throat from behind them. Kaden flushed slightly and Aiyan turned to see his father smiling at them. He jerked his head back toward the palace motioning for them to follow, and they did, reluctantly.
playlistTTbanner
Music is a huge part of my writing process, and there are songs that take me where I need to be to write... and then there are songs specific to certain characters or chapters in the book. Early on there is a scene when Maeve, Tanis and Kaden are en route to the palace and Maeve is taking in her surroundings.
Every time I hear Celtic Dream I think about this particular chapter. Very whimsical, fresh and new. Both Aiyan and Raven play the violin, and Aiya plays the piano, so there is a lot of instrumental music I listen to when I’m writing around them. Rain on the Pond is a song that is mentioned twice in the book,
Lament has its own chapter, and Sirtaki is the dance they do at Aiya and Maeve’s wedding. Every song on this playlist is directly related to something in the book, in some fashion.
Playlist for Opposites
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkehmrHrmCeM4a1IpZWLk6p8-GODvnw5s
Celtic Dream | Ronan Hardiman
Lament | Ronan Hardiman
Kashmir | David Garrett
Csardas | David Garrett
Rain on the Pond | Relaxation music
Shadow of the Moon | Blackmore’s Night
Where are We Going From Here | Blackmores’ Night
Bound To You | Christina Aguilera
Jai Ho | Slumdog Millionaire
Love Aaj Kal | ye Dooriyan
Drowning Pool | Bodies
Enya | Watermark
Come On Get Higher | Matt Nathanson
Between The Raindrops | Lifehouse w/Natasha Bedingfield
Ice Cream | Sarah McLachlan
Sirtaki (Zorba’s Dance) | David Garrett
We Belong | Pat Benatar
giveaway
about the author
Author
A military brat born and raised at Ft. Benning Georgia; Smith is an avid reader, reviewer and writer. She now calls Texas home from her small town on the outskirts of the DFW Metroplex. Most days you can find her curled up with her kindle and a good book alongside a glass of something aged and red or a steaming cup of coffee!
At 42 years young, she's decided to enter the next phase of her life by adding the title of "author" to her list of accomplishments that includes single mom of three disturbingly outspoken and decidedly different kids, one of which is Autistic. Smith is and outspoken advocate for Autism and equal rights for the LGBTQ community.
Her Opposites series is based outside the normal parameters of social acceptability, examining a 'what if'... What If to be gay or lesbian were the norm? What if to be straight labeled you as an Opposite and made YOU the Outkast?
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social links
Author website: www.ttcbooksandmore.com
Tour Host - Brenda
Today, I’m going to fill you all in on ‘The Houses’ of Opposites. I’m long winded and it’s a long explanation so, grab a bottle, hunker down and pray for daylight!

Opposites was over a year in the making, and I did a lot of research along the way to set the backdrop for my world. The core of my research was setting up the different Houses that you’ll read about throughout the series.

The concept of having “Houses” was three fold. First, why Houses? Well, I’m a huge dystopian and sci-fi fan so it is a given that one of my favorite books/movies is Dune. I always liked that people were referred to by their house. Also, with so many different characters in my book there is bound to be confusion already, so last names weren’t something I wanted to add to the mix. Therefore all my characters have a first name and a house.

Second, why seven houses. Stay with me here, this one gets a little scattered. In Numerology, the essence of the 7 symbolizes our struggle, as humans, to know and understand. There is also a religious aspect being ‘God created the earth in six days, on the seventh, He rested.’  There are seven Archangels.  Lucky number seven.

Third, names and locations of houses. Nearly three hundred years in the future our planet has evolved. After GWI (Global Warming Ignition) over ninety percent of the planet is now covered in water, so my objective was to seek out and find the highest points of elevation around the globe. I concentrated on the seven different locations, spread out, and came up with the Colorado mountains, the Himalayas (using the Asian and Indian points), Mount Olympus in Greece, Australia, Scotland and Brazil.


House Gaeland
United States (location - Colorado Mountains)
Cultural makeup: USA, Canada, Alaska and surrounding areas
Of course we would survive! We have some vast mountain ranges in the US but I’ve always been fascinated with the ones in Colorado. It’s at an extremely high elevation as well so it was perfect. The name of our house in the US was really just a play on words. Since the society Dr. Smith created after GWI is an entirely gay/lesbian society I came up with Gaeland, but it flows as one word. So you don’t say gay land, you say Gaeland. Everyone needs a little humor, right?

House Devi
India (location: Himalayan Mountains' point in India)
Cultural makeup: Iraq, Iran, Egypt, Sudan, Africa and surrounding areas
specific location: HM/India 3rd highest elevation, Mount Devi
The core of my story is the twins, Aiya and Aiyan, and their loves. I knew I wanted either a native American, Egyptian or Asian person to be matched with Aiyan from the start. Searching for this person brought me to actor/model Imran Abbas and he was everything I wanted for Kaden. Imran is a Pakistan born actor so therefore, India, we have house number two! Again it came back to elevation and I landed on Mount Devi so I decided this would be House Devi. 

House 人之初 Ren Zhi Chu
China (location: Himalayan Mountains point in Asia)
Cultural makeup: China, Japan, Tibet, Russia, Thailand and surrounding areas
specific location: HM/Tibet highest elevation on the planet. Rén Zhī Chū is translated as “New Beginnings”
Yeah, you know that China is too damn mean to be wiped out. And, since the highest point of elevation on planet Earth is in the Himalayas, specifically Tibet, that sealed the deal for China being a house. Deciding to do something a little different I looked up the meaning of words in Asian and came up with Ren Zhi Chu which means ‘ New Beginnings’ and named this house.

House Orion
Greece (location: Mount Olympus)
Cultural makeup: Greece, Turkey, Italy, Spain and surrounding areas
Who doesn't want Greek gods in their book?! I wish I could say I put more thought into this house, but that’s the jest of it. Of course it would be Mount Olympus and when thinking of Greek culture, the first symbol I thought of was Orion. 

House Gilley
Scotland (location: Ben Nevis)
Cultural makeup: Scotland, Ireland, Finland, France, UK and surrounding areas
Even though my ruling house is House Gaeland I am fascinated with Irish, Scottish, Gaelic cultures. You will see a lot of these cultural references in the book. Cirian is Scottish and since he’s one of the twin’s fathers, he brings that aspect to Gaeland. My grandmother was half Irish and her maiden name was Gilley, so I named this house after her.

House Uluru
Australia (location: Mount Kosciuszko)
Cultural makeup: Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, Indonesia and surrounding areas
I don’t know what they feed the men in Australia, but goddamn! Since I was writing a majorly M/M book it was only fitting that said hot men be included. Mount Kosciuszko is the highest mountain range in Australia, and Uluru more commonly known as Ayer’s Rock, is a national landmark.

House Brasilia
Brazil (location: Pico da Neblina)
Cultural makeup: Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Chili, Columbia and the surrounding areas
specific location: highest mountain range in the Amazon
I couldn’t destroy the Amazon! Pico da Neblina is the highest mountain range in Brazil, and Brasilia is the capital of Brazil. 


I hope you enjoyed this sneak peek into the world of Opposites. Go grab your copy today!
Oh, and follow me on Pinterest for the added visual. There are some pics of House Gaeland, House Devi, House Orion and Aiyan’s beloved garden there.

My Thoughts: Coming Soon


Friday, June 27, 2014

Book Blast: Fused by Fire by Draven St. James


Blurb: 
Michael prides himself on being the man that everyone can depend on until one of his firefighters is severely wounded on the job. Will he be allowed to process the situation alone? Not when a loud and persistent Simon Winters shows up on his doorstep. The man hasn't met a boundary he didn't skip across.



Simon has had the biggest crush on Lieutenant Firefighter Michael Donovan since the first day he saw him. Which just happened to be at an interview for a job to work as a firefighter. Before his desire to lick the gruff older man from head to toe affects his work, Simon transfers over to being a paramedic. Just when he's begun to build a life that doesn't include hot shower fantasies of Michael, the object of his angst is thrust into his path.

All too quickly, Simon begins to barrel through Michael's defenses and dig up the desires Michael has fought so hard to hide. As passions flare out of control, tragedies collide from every side. Michael's struggle to keep Simon at a distance starts to crumble beneath the weight of the secrets that Simon is hiding. Will Michael be able to protect Simon when he needs it the most or will he lose Simon forever?


Excerpt: 
Michael stepped forward and grabbed Simon by his shoulders. “Why are you really here?” he snarled.
“Because you’ve locked yourself away?” Simon whispered and gazed at him with eyes filled with concern.
That look stabbed into Michael. “And you care why?”
“Because…” Simon shrugged, dislodging Michael’s hold, and then cupped Michael’s face with a trembling hand. “What happened wasn’t your fault, and you needed someone to come and shove that truth into your face.”
“You picked the short straw?” Michael hated that Simon’s hand on his cheek brought him more comfort than anything else had. Just like at the hospital.
Simon shook his head, and his gaze fell to Michael’s lips. His hand came down to brush against the edge of Michael’s bottom lip. A pink flush rose along Simon’s cheeks.
Michael felt that innocent touch like a jolt through his body. He tilted Simon’s face up, and the sensual invitation in his eyes shocked and inflamed him.

He didn’t have the energy to fight against what he wanted, and right now that was Simon. With a groan of defeat, he smashed his lips to Simon’s and took the sweet oblivion that Simon offered.

Author Bio: I’m a born and raised Oregonian. I’ve traveled extensively in search of mischief and mayhem to fill my books.  My ventures have been quite successful in inspiring a wealth of stories both sexy and humorous.  It gives me a great excuse to do some crazy stuff in the name of research. Of course at the end of the day, coffee within reach, laptop at the ready is where I find my peace.
Author Links:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DravenStJames
Cover Artist: Dar Albert
Publisher: Loose ID

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Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of any book from Draven’s backlist: Grey’s Hidden Fire, Fire and Mistletoe, Scent of a Wolf, or Covert Delivery

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Thursday, June 26, 2014

Book Blast: Less Than All by Lee Brazil

Blurb(s):
Nicholas Danville doesn’t trust his lover to share the depth of his attraction.
He knows full well Victor must marry to fulfill his duty to his aristocratic family.
Assuredly marriage will mean the end of their liaison.
A youthful indiscretion leads to a humiliating encounter between Nicholas Danville and Lord Victor Ware. Nicholas is sent home in disgrace, and Victor continues life in the Ton. Years later, Nicholas's reproving parents send him to town to attain a degree of polish before he prepares for life as a member of the clergy.

A chance encounter with an old friend leads to a new confrontation between Nicholas and Victor. This time, the attraction between them burns brighter, Nicholas is old enough to know his own mind, and Victor is done with self-denial.


From ballrooms to gardens and opera houses, Victor sets about proving that a passionate liaison between two men is possible even under the narrow gaze of the Ton.


Excerpt:
Peter had evidently taken the time to pull his glossy Hessians back on because Victor had swallowed half the glass before he heard the door click behind him. Lifting the glass to study the amber liquid in the firelight, he spoke without turning around. "I pay you an adequate allowance to cover your own establishment Peter, exactly because I do not wish to find hordes of drunken revelers have invaded my home."
"I'm glad for Peter's sake that you're a generous man, My Lord Ware. But I'd hardly call our little gathering a horde."
Victor whirled about to find Danville lounging in altogether too close a proximity. A single lingering glance impressed upon Victor the slender lithe frame, lovingly outlined by tight buff colored breeches, fine white linen shirt open at the neck. Both his discreetly embroidered waistcoat and his black tailcoat hung open. Danville’s inappropriate dishabille enticed him as the devil tempted sinners. He held up a hand as though to ward off the smaller man, but Danville stepped impossibly closer, and Victor groaned as his blood thrummed and his head swam.
Strong arms wrapped around his neck, tugging his head down, and soft wet lips pressed lightly against his mouth. "I've waited years for this moment, Ware."
Then Victor gave up listening, gave up fighting the response of his body as an agile tongue probed the seam of his lips, seeking entrance. He accepted Nicky's kiss, opened his mouth to suck at the questing tongue. He chased Nicky's tongue for what seemed like ages, his body hardening and heating with lust.
His arms closed around Nicky's slender waist, hauling the man close so he could seek solace for the ache of his prick in grinding against the silk of Nicky's evening breeches. The shattering of his whiskey glass on the hearth broke the mood, and Nicky pulled away, retreating to the door.
"I'm going now." He paused, hand on the doorknob. A strangely earnest expression crossed his face as he tilted his head to glance back at the stunned Victor. "Shall I return? Or do you forbid Peter's friends the run of your home?"
He slipped from the room while Victor struggled to frame a coherent response

Author Bio:
Somewhere in a small town in up-state New York are a librarian and a second grade teacher to whom I owe my life. That might be a touch dramatic, but it's nevertheless one hundred percent true.

Because they taught me the joy of reading, of escaping into worlds crafted of words.

Have you ever been nine years old and sure of nothing so much as that you don't belong? Looked at the world from behind glasses, and wondered why you don't fit?

Then turn the page and see… there you are, running from Injun Joe in a dark graveyard; there you are fencing with Athos; there you are…beneath the deep blue sea- marveling at exotic creatures with Captain Nemo.

I found myself between the pages of books, and that is why I write now, it's why I taught English and literature for so many years, and it's why my house contains more pounds of books than furniture.

If I'd had my way, I'd have been a fencer…or a starship captain, or a lawyer, or a detective solving crimes. But instead, I am a writer, and that's the best thing in the world to be if you ask me, because as a writer, I can be all those things and more.

 If I hadn't learned to value the stories between the pages, who knows what would have happened? Certainly not college…teaching…or writing.

Author Links:
Twitter: @leebrazil
Cover Artist: Laura Harner
Photograph: Dan Skinner
Publisher: Lime Time Press


Giveaway:
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Rafflecopter Prize: $10 AllRomance Gift Card


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Promo: Unexpected Places by Bailey Bradford

 photo WHP_BaileyBradford_BookTour_final_zpsbd613c2c.png
Totally Bound has a brand new Imprint out, What’s his Passion? and I am thrilled to be a part of it! My contribution is Unexpected Places, a story featuring Carter Hausemann, a man who is passionate about hiking.

To celebrate the launch of What’s his Passion? Totally Bound are giving away a bundle of prizes. Enter here for your chance to win:

Blurb for Unexpected Places:
Love finds you in the most unexpected places.
Carter Hausemann loves his adventures in the great outdoors. He never feels as free and happy as he does when he’s hiking up a mountain or over a desert trail. After a childhood spent locked indoors, he craves the sunlight on his face and the blanket of moonlight.
Unfortunately, he has to work, so his hiking trips aren’t as frequent as he would like.
He has a new adventure planned, but little does he know, his real adventure will start at a worn-down looking club in Odessa, Texas. Carter’s dreams of finding his perfect men will become more than fantasy, starting with one sexy leather-clad man, Eddie Canales. What starts out as a night of debauchery turns into so much more. 

Excerpt:
 photo unexpectedplaces_800_zps5290754e.jpg
“Hey, Carter, you headed out to Grayson’s?”
Carter Hausemann bit back a groan. He hadn’t gotten away quick enough to avoid Mark Watson. Carter turned to watch him approach the elevator. Mark was an attractive guy, but he wasn’t someone Carter wanted a long-term anything with. Or even a quick fuck, for that matter. Mark skeeved him out.
“Actually, I’m not,” Carter told him.
He desperately hoped someone else would join them for the elevator ride down from the twelfth floor. Mark could be pushy to the point of obnoxious if they were alone.
“I’m going home to prepare for the hiking trip I’m taking over the weekend.” Not that it was any of Mark’s business, but Carter hoped it would get the man to back off.
Instead, Mark stopped just a little too close, but not so much that Carter could call him out on it. Well, he could, but Mark would likely tell him he was being paranoid—even though they’d both know better.
“Hiking again?” Mark raked him with a calculating gaze Carter had seen too often. “Surely there are better things to do with your time?”
And that attitude was one of the reasons Carter would never want to hook up with Mark. Besides being a co-worker, he always had something bordering on snide to say about Carter’s love of hiking.
Carter shifted his briefcase into the hand closest to Mark, forcing him to move back or get whacked on the knee. As tempting as it was to be a dick and tell Mark to fuck off, Carter wouldn’t do it. He was certain that, eventually, Mark would lose interest in him.
“Nothing beats the great outdoors.”
“Nothing?” Mark asked, skepticism layering over his features. “Uh huh. I’ve seen the Odessa Meteor Crater hiking trail and don’t see how anyone could want to bother with it more than once, yet you seem to practically live out there on the weekends.” Mark cocked his head and gave Carter a borderline leer. “If that’s the most fun you’ve had here in Odessa, maybe you’ve been doing some things wrong, because I can think of at least one thing that should top the great outdoors.”
“Not if you’re hiking right,” Carter retorted. “Oh hey, here comes Becca.” He almost added, Thank God, but restrained himself at the last moment. “Hey, Becca, just in time,” Carter called out as the elevator bell dinged.
Becca was his boss, and he’d never been so grateful to see her as he was at that moment. She got on the elevator with him and Mark after murmuring greetings to them. Carter made certain he stood on her right, as Mark was to Becca’s left.
“Are you ready for your trip? This one’s going to be different from your usual day-hikes out here. Think this will be a big adventure?” Becca asked him. She pressed the button for the ground floor.
Carter smiled warmly at her. He liked his boss, was glad to be working on her team. “Hopefully it will be, yeah, though not the get-eaten-by-a-bear kind of adventure. As to being ready, almost. I’m quite excited about the weekend trip exploring parts of Big Bend. I’ve been wanting to see it ever since I moved here.”
“You just have to pack,” Mark added, eyeing him as if gauging whether or not Carter had lied about that.
“Exactly,” Carter agreed. “I was given a list of recommended supplies for the trip after I signed up for it. This’ll be my first weekend hike there. I’ve been all over New Mexico and Colorado.”


About Bailey
A few things about me…

I am a married to a lovely man who supports everything I do and encourages me to be myself. I am also a mom who spends most of the day writing, either on stories for books or at the blog. I love to write as much as I love to read. I am generally quiet and laid back, choosing to let things slide off me rather than stick to me and be irritating.

And it’s really hard trying to think of descriptives for myself, so I’ll just let y’all e-mail me or comment at the blog if there’s something specific you’d like to know, and spare you from reading a boring bio.

@BaileyBFun4Me  


Monday, June 23, 2014

Review: The Reluctant Wolf (Cloverleah Pack #1) by Lisa Oliver



Blurb:
Kane Matthews, Alpha of his small wolf pack in Cloverleah has been raised to believe that mates are not possible for gay men and has lived his life accordingly. Kicked out of his home pack years before because of his sexual orientation Kane has built a solid and comfortable life for himself in the small town of Cloverleah.
Imagine his surprise when an unscheduled visit to the small town's diner unleashes a flood of emotions in the man he didn't think possible - not least of all, lust. But finding out it is possible for wolf shifters to have gay mates is just one of the things that Kane has to overcome if he is to have the forever future he has been hoping for.

Shawn Bailey never expected to find his mate. He is just too different - an "Other" who has the power to instill fear in any other shifter. After spending ten years on the run from his Alpha father he spends most days just trying to stay alive. When a
chance encounter brings him face to face with his mate Shawn has to decide if the man in front of him is worth staying for.

But with hunters, Alpha challenges, Kane's parents and a smitten Alpha from another pack all interfering in Kane and Shawn's budding romance, not to mention some surprising answers about Shawn's own unique talents can these two true mates find the happily ever after they are looking for?

Warning: Some people may find the content of this book objectionable. Includes m/m, graphic sexual situations, a short BDSM scene, strong language and shifter/magic themes.


My Thoughts:
**I received this book free for review from the author through the DBML (Don't Buy My Love) program in the M/M Romance group on Goodreads.**

Holy smokes, more please! I just couldn't get enough of Kane and Shawn. Once I started reading I couldn't put my kindle down. I figured with this being a shifter story that there would be the instant attraction with the whole mates thing, but I loved the way Lisa Oliver went about it in this story.

Shawn is on the run because of who and what he is. Kane left home because of his packs inability to accept him. While Kane started a new pack Shawn has always been running. When the two of them meet the sparks fly and an excellent story starts to unfold. 

I loved Kane and Shawn. I was sucked into their story from the beginning and just couldn't walk away. There was a ton of passion and the two were so compatible it was amazing. Even though my kindle was on fire from the lust between Kane and Shawn I was also on the edge of my seat waiting for the action, which by the way was around every corner.  This was a fresh new shifter story with a bit of magic interwoven to make it excellent.

I very highly recommend this book and am eager to read the rest in the series!

Rating: 5 Stars



Wednesday, June 18, 2014

The Dirty Martini (Cock&Tails #4) by Renee George



Blurb: 

When bartender Chris Lawson goes into shock after getting the worst news of his life, he wakes up in the arms of Marty Lincoln, an Army Ranger on leave from his post. Even in his grief, Chris feels instantly connected to the war-ravaged vet. 

Only two problems: Marty is his boss’s younger brother. And even if that wasn't an obstacle, the battle-hardened Ranger is straight. Or is he? 

***This takes place in the CockTail serials world, but is a stand alone novella.



Excerpt:
Driving up the highway, only a couple hours from his hometown, Chris allowed the surrealness of the situation to envelope him. Marty hadn’t said more than a few perfunctory words to him since they’d stopped at Chris’s apartment to pick up his things for the two-day trip, and he’d made a point of not making eye contact with Chris. The silence and distance lingered between them—a thick and heavy barrier. Did Marty already regret his decision to take Chris home? They barely knew each other. They weren’t friends, and one night didn’t make them lovers.
Chris pursed his lips, steeling his courage to give Marty an out. “About last night. It doesn’t have to mean anything. Just two people hanging out, hooking up. It’s not a big deal.” He snapped his mouth shut and swallowed hard. God, he sounded like a rambling imbecile. Marty’s white knuckles and seriously drawn brows indicated Chris was making things worse not better. “Look. One time doesn’t mean your gay or anything. I was sad. You were sad… or whatever. We helped each other. End of story. No reason to feel bad or guilty. It’s not like I’m going to be heartbroken if you don’t want me.”
Hearing his own words, the possible truth of them, hit Chris like a punch to the gut. “I hope that’s not why you’re taking me to my dad’s funeral. Because you feel guilty about what we did.”
The car slowed. Marty flipped the right blinker. He pulled them over to the side of the highway, put the car in park, and turned his head until his gaze fell on Chris.
Chris, who had some experience with the fight or flight reflex, was suddenly in flight mode. He should’ve kept his mouth shut! Marty looked like he was ready to beat the crap out him, and considering his ranger training, Chris had little chance against him.
When Marty undid his seatbelt and turned his body to face the passenger seat, Chris pressed his back against the door. Marty leaned over the console between them until his face hovered inches from Chris’s. Chris tucked his chin and closed his eyes, bracing for the punch.
His eyes fluttered open when he felt the unexpected warm press of Marty’s lips against his own. Not the punch he was expecting, but just as hard of a knockout. Marty’s eyes had softened at the edges, but he still looked angry when he pulled back.
“I’ve wanted to do that since I walked in on you having coffee with Jay this morning. Not kissing you before now has been the hardest part of my day.”
Stunned, Chris said nothing when Marty sat back in his seat, put his seatbelt on, and started the car. “Have I cleared up your confusion?”
Chris shook his head and smiled. “Not at all.”


Renee George

Author Bio: Multi-published, award-winning author Renee George has been a factory worker, an army medic, a nurse, a website designer, a small press editor, an artist, and a teacher, but writing stories about sexy alpha men is the BEST job she's ever had. When she turned thirty, she went back to college and earned her BA in creative writing. She has been married to the love of her life, a wonderful man who supports in every way, for over half her life (and that is a VERY long time!). She happily lives in a small, Midwest town with her husband, two needy dogs and a very independent cat. 

Author Links:

Twitter: @reneegeorge2008
Cover Artist: Renee George
PublisherRenee George
Tour Dates: 6/18/14


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