Book Reviews, Rants, & Raves!: December 2014

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

The Right Words by Lane Hayes

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7125719.Lane_Hayes

Author Name: Lane Hayes

Author Bio:

Lane Hayes is grateful to finally be doing what she loves best. Writing full-time! It’s no secret Lane loves a good romance novel. An avid reader from an early age, she has always been drawn to well-told love story with beautifully written characters. These days she prefers the leading roles to both be men. Lane discovered the M/M genre a few years ago and was instantly hooked. Her debut novel was a 2013 Rainbow Award finalist and her third received an Honorable Mention in the 2014 Rainbow Awards. She loves red wine, chocolate and travel (in no particular order). Lane lives in Southern California with her amazing husband and the coolest yellow Lab ever in an almost empty nest.

Author Contact:

Website: http://lanehayes.wordpress.com

Twitter: @LaneHayes3

Facebook: LaneHayesauthor

Email: lanehayes@ymail.com

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Cover Artist: Aaron Anderson

Blurb(s):

Escaping an abusive relationship left Luke Preston anxious and spouting panic-induced poetry. Desperate for a fresh start, Luke accepts a job remodeling a tired old beach house for a professional soccer player and his model girlfriend. While his passion is literature, not sports, focusing on the renovations eases his anxiety. Until the job he signed up for turns out to be more complicated than advertised.

Sidelined with a serious injury, soccer star Michael Martinez decides his beach house is the perfect place to recuperate. Remodeling might be the diversion he needs to keep his mind off his busted knee. Falling for the pretty designer with some quirky habits wasn’t on the drawing board. Unfortunately, Luke didn’t build a big enough closet for Michael to hide in. Having a star-powered sports career used to be all Michael lived for, but he’ll have to reevaluate his plans and find the right words if he wants to build more than a beach house with Luke.

Categories: Contemporary, Gay Fiction, Humor, Romance

Excerpt from The Right Words by Lane Hayes

“One day at a time,” he repeated thoughtfully, making an obvious effort to steer the topic toward something more pleasant. “Well, I don’t have anything better, so… I’ll go with that too.” Michael’s smile lit his entire face. It was a beautiful thing to witness. He was handsome always, but wow… what a smile.

“Was the picture of us good at least?”

This time he laughed out loud, a sweet, musical sound that made me chuckle along with him.

“Yeah, very hot.” He reached over and pulled me into his side effortlessly. “Look, I wasn’t trying to send mixed signals this week. I know I haven’t been around like I said I would. I… Jamie isn’t going to go away easily. This has been a weird blow to add to an already fucked-up situation, but… I like you and I do trust you.”

“You like me?”

He gave a small half chuckled and shrugged. “Un poco.” He translated when I gave him a blank stare. “A little.”

“I like you a little too.”

I couldn’t help my response at being near him. I curled into his side like a cat begging for attention. Michael wrapped his arms around me and kissed my cheek and my chin. I didn’t want a “friend” kiss, though. I wanted what he gave me Friday night. I wanted “that kiss.” I intercepted him when he leaned in to peck my temple and stuck my tongue out to trace the corner of his mouth. He groaned and accepted the invitation, diving and thrusting his tongue inside my mouth to stake his claim. His right hand traveled down my throat and came to a stop over my left nipple. He rubbed at the sensitive flesh through my tight T-shirt and squeezed hard when he heard my moan of approval.

I arched my back into his touch but kept my mouth fastened to his. I didn’t want to lose this connection. He bit at my chin and sent kisses down my neck as his hand dipped down to my belt and came to rest on my hardening cock. I whimpered and scooted on his lap to straddle his thighs.

“Is this okay? Am I hurting your knee?”

“It’s good, honey. Really good.” Both of his hands splayed flat on my back and circled to the front to pluck at the fabric of my T-shirt. “Take it off.”

I didn’t have to be told twice. I was burning up. I yanked it over my head and tossed it aside before I began working on the seemingly endless row of buttons on his dress shirt.

“Fuck. Help me get his off you. I need to feel your skin.”

I barely recognized my voice. I sounded breathless.

When Michael finally leaned forward to let the fabric slide from his shoulders, I met him halfway to feel his skin against mine. Heaven. He was simply beautiful, with finely toned washboard abs and gorgeous skin. It was smooth like mine but much darker. Olive against golden. I loved the contrast and I was anxious to explore. I let my hands roam, over his chest, down his stomach, and back again. My fingers itched to palm his cock through his worn jeans. Instead I fused my naked torso against his and ground my aching cock against his equally hard member. We both hissed, and the kiss became something more like sex.

Pages: 204 pages

Tour Dates: December 12^th – January 6^th

Tour Stops:

12-Dec

Parker Williams

Foxylutely Book Reviews

16-Dec

Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

19-Dec

23-Dec

Wicked Faerie's Tales and Reviews

Amanda C. Stone

26-Dec

Prism Book Alliance

Regular Guys, Hot Romance

30-Dec

The Novel Approach

Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves

Queer Town Abbey

2-Jan

Elisa - My Reviews and Ramblings

6-Jan

Sales Links:

eBook: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5749

Paperback: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5750

Rafflecopter Prize: $25 Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Grenzen by Chris McHart

Blurb:

When work requires Ryan to leave behind warm and sunny Arizona for cold and snowy Germany, he decides to visit the famous Nuremberg Christmas Market where he meets sexy Julian.

But Julian isn’t an average guy, he’s a Dom. And he wants Ryan to be his sub.

That’s something Ryan has dreamt of, but never admitted to anyone, not even himself. With Julian it suddenly becomes possible.

But what happens once Ryan has to go home, especially since he’s developing feelings for Julian?

There isn’t a future for a relationship if you’re half a world apart…

Excerpt:

A sausage seller’s stall caught my eye. Or rather, the seller did, and then the aroma hit me. My mouth watered just thinking of tasting some of the delicious smelling sausages roasting in front of him. This time, I wriggled through the crowd, determined to take a closer look at the guy preparing the food. He was young, about my age, with dark, tousled hair and a sexy smile.

The line wasn’t too long, and before I had time to figure out what exactly to say with my limited German vocabulary, it was my turn.

“Hallo. Was darf’s sein?”

I was pretty sure the guy had asked what I wanted to eat. “Hello. Ein—” What the hell was that word? I searched for a price chart. Bratwurst. Great. That helped a lot. Was it spoken the same way as in English? I had no idea.

“Oh, you speak English? You want three sausages in a roll?” he asked in good, although slightly accented English.

“Uh, yes, please.” Heat crept up on my face. The guy grinned at me and prepared my food. Up close the aroma of the sausages was even better, a tantalizing grilled scent mixed with something I couldn’t define. I could almost taste them before I even had my order.

Buy links:

http://www.mlrbooks.com/ShowBook.php?book=CMGRNZEN

https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-grenzen-1693808-354.html

http://www.amazon.com/Grenzen-Love-Germany-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00QPEYHT0/

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Grenzen-Love-Germany-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00QPEYHT0/

http://www.amazon.de/Grenzen-Love-Germany-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00QPEYHT0/

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/grenzen-chris-mchart/1120868322?ean=2940149845514

Author Bio

Chris McHart is from Germany and while an accountant, writing is Chris’s real passion. Chris likes to spend time with family and has way too many animals that demand constant attention. Chris also enjoys landscaping and cooking.

Whenever Chris has a free minute, it’s spent writing on a laptop, a cup of coffee in hand, deeply lost in the world Chris’s muses have created.

When coming up for some air, you’ll find Chris on a lot of social networks. Check out Chris’s website to see where you can find out more. Chris looks forward to hearing from you!

Web: www.chrismchart.com

facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008256641886

twitter: https://twitter.com/chris_mchart

google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/107541761558868120374/

Blood and Rain by Shira Anthony

Thank you, Dean, for hosting the Blood and Rain Blog Tour! I’m so excited about the release of the first book in my Blood Serieshttp://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/index.php?cPath=1303. Blood and Rain is the first in a series of three books. The second book, Blood and Ghosts, is on the way and set for publication in spring of 2015 and is currently in edits. Look for the last book, Blood and Eternity, in late 2015 or early 2016.

I’ve always loved fantasy and supernatural stories, and I grew up reading Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles series. I loved the interplay between blood and sexuality, and I loved the concept of immortality. Anne Rice’s vampires were flawed souls who often struggled to retain their humanity in spite of their changed bodies. And while I can’t say I was a fan of Twilight, I’ve continued to enjoy vampire stories such as the Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampire Mysteries and their television counterpart, True Blood.

Those readers who know my books know that I love character driven stories. Even when I’m writing my mermen shifters, I like to put characterization above all else. And let’s face it, vampires help shine a light on the human condition. Whether they’re confident that they are truly above humanity, or whether they struggle to maintain their humanity when they need human blood to survive, it makes for some great tension in a story.

The vampires in the Blood Series fall into two categories: those vampires who were born as vampires, and those vampires who were created from humans by vampires. The first category, “ancient” vampires, are vampire royalty. They also feel themselves responsible for weaker, younger vampires. And that’s the setup for the political tension in the world of vampires.

The story revolves around the tensions between vampires and vampire hunters, humans with unusual abilities who were once part of the vampire race. The Council of Hunters enforces a treaty between hunters and vampires, and sends its hunters to execute vampires who harm humans. But some of the vampire hunters don’t approve of a system in which vampires have a say in the hunters’ world, and they plot to overthrow the hunters who wish to continuing working with vampires.

Enter Adrien Gilbert, the youngest son of an old clan of hunters. Adrien saw his mother murdered by a vampire, and he believes a vampire has murdered his brother. When the Council sends him to track down and execute his brother’s murderer, Adrien enlists the help of ancient vampire Nicolas Lambert. The last thing Adrien, who hates vampires, expects is to fall in love with the gentle Nicolas.

The Blood Series is one story told over three books and has three MM relationships at its heart, with the main focus on Nicolas and Adrien. The first installment sets up the tension between the different hunter factions, and sees naïve Adrien grow and learn about hunters and vampires. Adrien’s world completely changes as a result of his involvement with Nicolas, and by the end of the first book, Adrien’s a very different person than he was.

I hope you enjoy the Blood Series! I’ll leave you all with an excerpt and a giveaway contest. You have until New Year’s at midnight to enter to win a stunning handmade unisex hunter pendant by artist Martin Brodour and a Dreamspinner Press gift certificate. The link to enter is below. Happy reading! -Shira

Author Bio:

Shira Anthony was a professional opera singer in her last incarnation, performing roles in such operas as Tosca, Pagliacci, and La Traviata, among others. She’s given up TV for evenings spent with her laptop, and she never goes anywhere without a pile of unread M/M romance on her Kindle.

Shira is married with two children and two insane dogs, and when she’s not writing, she is usually in a courtroom trying to make the world safer for children. When she’s not working, she can be found aboard a 35’ catamaran at the Carolina coast with her favorite sexy captain at the wheel.

Author Contact:

Shira can be found on:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shira.anthony
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4641776.Shira_Anthony
Twitter: @WriterShira
Website: http://www.shiraanthony.com
E-mail: shiraanthony@hotmail.com

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Cover Artist: Reese Dante

Blurb(s):

Blood: Book One

Adrien Gilbert has spent several lifetimes searching for the love he lost. Born in the 1800s into a clan of fabled vampire hunters, Adrien once wanted nothing more than to tend his family’s vineyard in southern France or read a good book. But Adrien’s peaceful existence ends abruptly when his older brother, François, is murdered. Bound by his hunter’s oath, Adrien sets out on a path that will forever change his life when he agrees to execute his brother’s killer, the vampire Charles Duvalier.

After months chasing the elusive Charles, Adrien reluctantly makes a bargain with Nicolas Lambert, an ancient vampire. Adrien will escort Nicolas to Paris for his marriage to a rival clanswoman, and Nicolas will help Adrien find Charles. Nicolas’s quiet strength and gentle heart soon convince Adrien that Nicolas is nothing like the vampires he has sworn to destroy. As the wedding date draws nearer, a force intent on destroying the fragile peace between the vampire clans threatens to tear apart both the vampire realm and the world of the hunters. To secure both past and future for those he loves, Adrien must find a way to stop the looming war between hunters and vampires. But first he’ll have to let Nicolas go.

Categories: Contemporary, Fantasy, Fiction, Gay Fiction, Vampires, Historical, M/M Romance, Romance, Paranormal

Excerpt:

Adrien licked the skin of Cole’s neck, feeling the blood pulse there, hearing it call to him. Cole tilted his head in anticipation, opening himself to Adrien.
Adrien buried his teeth in Cole’s skin. Blood flooded his mouth and danced on his tongue, sweet and salty. Too long. His body was far more vampire-like in its craving for blood than when he’d first been given the gift of an ancient vampire’s soul. He wondered if it was the same for other immortals.
Adrien tried to ignore the images that flashed through his mind—the sound of silvery laughter, a mother’s loving caress. Cole’s memories. Adrien despised this forced intimacy, but he’d come to see it as the price of blood. Something to be tolerated.
It hadn’t always been that way. When he’d shared Nicolas’s blood, Adrien had experienced great joy. He’d seen himself through Nicolas’s eyes and felt the depth of Nicolas’s love. Each drop of that precious liquid had opened new doors. Each taste offered insight into Nicolas’s heart and soul. A beloved memory. A mystery—the mystery of Nicolas—unfolding with every swallow.
Adrien drank his fill, then claimed Cole’s mouth. This kind of contact he could stomach. He didn’t need sex to survive, but he enjoyed the release. Cole unbuttoned Adrien’s black silk shirt and his cock swelled against Adrien’s thigh. Adrien moaned as Cole skated his fingertips over his chest.
“I have never known a hunter to crave blood,” Cole whispered in his ear. “I thought only we experienced the bloodlust.”
“You were wrong,” Adrien said as he pulled Cole’s shirt over his head and mouthed a pretty pink nipple. Sex was always better after he fed, and Adrien’s cock was already hard at the thought of fucking such a lovely ass. He drew Cole’s body against his, walked backward into the living room, and pulled Cole with him onto the rug. Soon they were naked and he was no longer a hunter or an immortal, he was simply a man, seeking release, seeking pleasure.

For at least an hour after, Adrien lay on the floor and allowed the night air to caress his bare skin. He closed his eyes and dozed.
“Adrien.”
The voice awakened him. Nicolas’s voice again. Why sleep if it only served to reawaken the pain he sought to suppress?
He stood and pulled on his jeans. He walked onto the balcony in his bare feet, then climbed to the roof of the penthouse.
Pathetic.

Having reached the edge, he spread his arms. He leaned forward and fell unimpeded, riding the wind like a sigh. The glass of the building sailed by him, the breeze buffeting his face. He hit the water and sank into the cold blackness. He wished he could die.

Pages: 280

Tour Dates:/Tour Stops:

15-Dec

16-Dec

17-Dec

18-Dec

19-Dec