5 Star Review of “Dirty Heart” (Cole McGinnis 6) by Rhys Ford #LGBT #Suspense #Romance

Moonbeams over Atlanta welcomes Rhys Ford back for a review of the final Cole McGinnis book. See within the review for the links to reviews of the prior books.

 

The Review:

Rhys provided the story to me for an honest review.  Thank you. I’m sad to say goodbye to Cole and Jae, but I wanted to know Ben’s story. As promised, no spoilers. You have to go read the book to know.

5 Stars

bluestarclipartbluestarclipartbluestarclipartbluestarclipartbluestarclipart

We return to the world of P.I. Cole McGinnis and the love of his life Jae-Min Kim, a Korean-American photographer Cole met on a previous case. If you haven’t read the first five books. Stop right now and Go. Read. Them. I reviewed the series up to Book Three on RGR here, and reviewed the fourth book, Dirty Deeds, on RGR here. Down and Dirty, the fifth book, will be here.

Through out the series there is the pain, both physical and emotional, of Cole’s former partner, best friend, and his then-lover Rick’s killer, Ben Pirelli and why he did what he did. There were not any hints… until now. After reading the book, I didn’t see reason coming. Rhys wove the story very well around a case Cole gets involved in by his brother, Mike, and I cried and laughed throughout. In some cases, I did it at the same time. It’s gritty writing and not for the faint-of-heart. As with most of Rhys’s books, they are… descriptive bordering on the dark. But, if you love a good mystery/suspense MM romance, this is for you. The romance is there: Definitely between Jae and Cole; Between other secondary characters such as Mad Dog and Mike, Cole’s brother; and between Cole’s newly-found younger brother Ichi and Cole’s best friend Bobby. The sex between Jae and Cole is hot, and the romance all around makes you smile at the way it should be in their world despite the everyday horrors and upset they face. This book felt a little lighter than the others, even with the reason Ben killed Rick, tried to kill Cole, and ultimately killing himself. Dirty Heart ended the series very well and the resolution to Ben’s anger is fitting.

With this, I give Dirty Heart 5 stars.

Eloreen Moon

Book Links:

Dreamspinner | Amazon | ARe | B&N

.@pridepromo #Review: Broken Records by Lilah Suzanne #LGBT #Contemporary #Romance #Contest #Amazon @lilahsuzanne

Today Moonbeams over Atlanta is very lucky to be interviewing Lilah Suzanne author of Broken Records. In addition, there is a review of the book and a contest at the end of the post.

Hi Lilah, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Write something from your character’s point of view as a child. (Holiday, first kiss, anything.)

 

On Sunday mornings the barbershop opens later, that way Nico’s dad can check the equipment and order more shampoo and pomade and talc and THOSE little paper cups for coffee, the sandalwood scented shave cream that lingers on his hands, and the barbicide that spills on Nico’s shirt when he drops the scissors and combs into the jars of disinfectant too hard sometimes.

So Sunday mornings mean shopping with Mom. And Lucas.

Who stands in front of the automatic doors with his hand held up flat, as if he’s using The Force to open them. But Nico knows they’re motion sensitive and it has nothing to do with Star Wars. And yet somehow Lucas is the one who gets straight A’s.

Mom hands them each a list of produce items. His has:

Cantaloupe

Sugar Snap Peas

Red Bell Pepper (two)

 

Lucas darts off right away, shoving past Nico to get a head start. Lucas’ left shoe is untied and his pants are three inches too short, his T-shirt has a hole in the seam of one sleeve and is for a TV show called Earthworm Jim that isn’t even on TV anymore. Nico glares at him, then moves on to his list.

Sugar Snap Peas is easy. Nico picks crunchy pea pods without any brown spots or broken tops. Makes sure they’re firm and bright green. He gets a plastic bag and uses the tongs to carefully scoop in just enough for four servings.

The Red Bell Pepper (two) is next in the produce section, stuck in with the vegetables even though Nico learned ages ago that bell peppers aren’t vegetables because they have seeds. Like kindergarten ages ago. He finds two bright crisp no mushy-spot peppers. He notices they match his shirt: long-sleeve button down, red. Suspenders, red and black striped. Black pants. He’s also wearing the black and white saddle shoes he requested for his tenth birthday that are still in tiptop shape four months later, even though Mom thought they were too fancy for a boy who plays baseball in the mud sometimes.

As if he would wear saddle shoes to play baseball.

Lucas finishes first, because he picks the very first fruits and vegetables he can get his hands on. Lucas’ list:

Apples (he gets baking apples even though the apples are to be packed for school lunches and not baked into pies. Three of them. Why three? Who knows.)

Spinach (loose) (he gets mixed greens with spinach. Prewashed. Not the same thing. Sigh.)

Bananas (some of them have spots already. They’ll go bad too fast and his mom will make banana bread with walnuts with them. Yuck.)

Sunday morning grocery store visits with Mom means Lucas will brag about winning the grocery-treasure-hunt contest and mom will say, boys! Enough. It doesn’t matter who wins.

But it’s fine, because Nico knows who really won. And it’s the guy who would never choose a mushy brown spotted honey dew melon which is not “basically a cantaloupe,” Lucas, because some people have taste and standards.

 It’s him. The real winner. Nico. Just to be clear. Lucas does The Force again on the way out. Nico rolls his eyes. Sigh.

RC

Review:

First, I have to say that I like it. I liked it a lot. I’m always a sucker for music stars and Grady Dawson is no exception, even though he’s into country music. Not a large fan of country music, but I do enjoy some artists so it was somewhat believable to me. We meet Nico Takahashi after having a very trying day with a diva starlet and all he wants to do is get away from it all. He “meets” Grady with a magazine photo shoot that provides some eye candy but he doesn’t read the article that goes along with it. He immediately meets Grady not too long after and commences the journey of Nico fighting his attraction to Grady because he thinks he’s a player, while Grady pursues because he thinks Nico is the one he’s looking for. A series of mis-information ensues, hot sex, and journeys from California to Tennessee and back again.

It has a great flow of words. I’m only a little leary of Nico’s almost whining in the beginning about his lot in life, but for the most part it wasn’t terrible. He did grow on you and does realize his love for Grady. Grady stayed mostly constant as his personality and desires were revealed throughout the story. Both have great depth and made them seem real. It does have a happy ending, and I enjoyed it.

With this, I give Broken Records 4 out of 5 stars.

-Eloreen

4 Stars

bluestarclipartbluestarclipartbluestarclipartbluestarclipart

Broken Records 1600px COVER (RGB) - Front

 

Author Name: Lilah Suzanne
Book Name: Broken Records
Series: Spotlight, Book One
Release Date: December 17, 2015
Pages or Words: 280 pages
Categories: Bisexual, Contemporary, Fiction, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance
Publisher: Interlude Press
Cover Artist: Victoria S. with CB Messer

 

 

Blurb:

Los Angeles-based stylist Nico Takahashi loves his job—or at least, he used to. Feeling fed up and exhausted from the cutthroat, gossip-fueled business of Hollywood, Nico daydreams about packing it all in and leaving for good. So when Grady Dawson—sexy country music star and rumored playboy—asks Nico to style him, Nico is reluctant. But after styling a career-changing photo-shoot, Nico follows Grady to Nashville where he finds it increasingly difficult to resist Grady’s charms. Can Nico make peace with show business and all its trappings, or will Grady’s public persona get in the way of their private attraction to each other?

Continue reading

.@IndieSagePromo #Review #BlogTour: Her Kind of Man by Non Raines #LGBT #Contest #Romance #Contemporary

Her Kind of Man Tour Banner

Her Kind of Man
by Nona Raines
SPECTRUM, #2
Publication Date: November 10, 2015
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, LGBT, Romance
77 pages

Her Kind of Man Cover

Buy: Loose-IDAmazonB&NKoboiBooksARe

Synopsis: During the day, Roy Girard works with truckers. It’s a macho environment where a man is judged by how tough he is. And everyone knows Roy as one of the toughest.

On his own time Roy helps mentor young people who are LGBT, and cares about them as if they were his own. He’s in love with Venetia, a trans woman.

He’s careful to keep his nine-to-five completely separate from his private life. He knows his work buddies wouldn’t understand. And he doesn’t want Venetia exposed to their crude, narrow-minded views. It’s his job to protect her.

But when his two worlds collide, he has to make a choice. In trying to protect the woman he loves, he asks for more than she can give. In his need to keep her safe, he risks pushing her out of his life forever.

*NOTE* Her Kind of Man is the sequel to His Kind of Woman.

Add to Goodreads

Excerpt

Upstairs, she collapsed on the divan, doubts writhing like a tangle of snakes in her brain. Had she been out of line to question him? Had she been too suspicious, even paranoid?

Would he forgive her?

She’d changed into on her nightclothes, the comfy cotton ones decorated with cats, and was just reaching for the Häagen Dazs in her freezer when her phone buzzed.

Roy had texted her. I’m home.

Her fears eased. He’d kept his promise, letting her know he was safe. He was a man of his word. Her kind of man.

Good, she responded. Then, as of their own volition, her fingers tapped I miss you.

She waited, holding her breath. At last an answer came.

Miss u 2.

A few moments later, the phone rang. Her hand trembled as she picked up. “Roy?”

“For God’s sake, do you really think I’m the kind of man who’d pull a shitty play like that?”

“You don’t know the stories I’ve heard. Things that have happened to friends of mine.”

“Forget your friends. Forget the stories. This is me. The man who loves you. You’re the only woman in my life, the only one I want. And fuck! It pisses me off, you thinking I’m some lowdown scumbag who’d cheat on you.”

She caught her breath. The man who loves you. Did he realize what he’d just said?

“I was scared. I had to ask.” Why else would he have been so secretive? But she didn’t want to bring that up now and start the whole argument again.

“So you believe me?”

“Yes.”

“And you trust me?”

She gripped the phone, her heart thudding. “Yes, I trust you.”

“So how come I’m here and you’re way the hell over there?” His voice lowered an octave, turned soft and intimate.

Her girl parts tingled, reacting to his sexy rumble. “It’s a problem. I do remember asking you up, though.”

“Huh. And like a real dumb-ass, I blew it, trying to make a point.”

“Well, the invitation’s still good,” she responded in the most mellow, seductive tone she could summon.

“I’m on my way.”

The Review: Her Kind of Man

5 Stars

bluestarclipartbluestarclipartbluestarclipartbluestarclipartbluestarclipart

 

I was provided a free copy of both books in the SPECTRUM series for the purpose of an honest review for second book for this blog tour. As a bonus, I’ve reviewed the first book after this review.

As soon as I finished His Kind of Woman, I jumped into Her Kind of Man immediately. Since I knew that I enjoyed His Kind of Woman, I expected Her Kind of Man to be equally good. I wasn’t disappointed.

Roy and Venetia have been dating for a little while now and Roy’s fears come to a head with a report on a beating in the news that hits home for him. He steps up his machismo wanting to protect Venetia from perceived threats because he can’t lose her.  Several things happen to bring things to a head and they both step back to work out their issues.

This seemed to have a breadth and depth more so than the first book, realism still high on the list. They love each other but like any other relationship, it still takes work and their own personalities may get in the way. Roy does things in the name of protection but he can’t coddle someone who has been there and done that too many times before. While Venetia understands, they both have to trust each other in order for their relationship to work. While there is not as much sex between the two stories, the plot is great and I enjoy a better plot than better sex. Don’t get me wrong, the sex is amazing and maybe a little short, but it works for the story line. I love the SPECTRUM series and I hope we hear more, especially with the teens Venetia has helped over the years.

Overall, I give Her Kind of Man 5 stars.

-Eloreen

His Kind of Woman, Book #1 in the SPECTRUM series…

His Kind of Woman Cover

His Kind of Woman
by Nona Raines
SPECTRUM, #1
Publication Date: June 13, 2013
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, LGBT, Romance
67 Pages

Buy: Loose-IDAmazonB&NKobo

Synopsis: When Roy Girard went looking for Victor Varrano, he never expected a woman to answer the door. He soon discovers that Victor is now Venetia. Roy’s startled, but even more surprised by his attraction to her. As they spend time together, he doesn’t want to let her go. But she’s sure to dump him when she learns his secret.

Venetia’s falling hard and fast for Roy. But when she learns that his brother was the bully who tormented her in high school, she’s shattered. She can’t wrap her head around the fact that the man who made such amazing love to her could so completely betray her trust.

Add to Goodreads

Bonus Review: His Kind of Woman

5 Stars

bluestarclipartbluestarclipartbluestarclipartbluestarclipartbluestarclipart

This blog tour is for the release of Her Kind of Man, but I like to read a series in order even though the author said they could be read independently. While that is true, I feel I was richer for the experience reading His Kind of Woman first to get the background on Roy and Venetia.

I enjoyed this book as Venetia is comfortable in her skin for the first time since she knew she was in the wrong body dating back to when she was a he as a teen. When Roy and her meet, she is attracted to him but still has doubts about herself despite his interest in her. Roy is attracted to her but must find Victor to right a wrong his brother did to Victor but is unable to do it himself. He is guilty because of his own issues and things he had done when he was younger. The guilt only gets worse once he finds out Victor and Venetia are one and the same. They circle each other like the Earth and Moon getting closer as Venetia introduces Roy to the SPECTRUM kids and the place she started to support LGBTQ youths in their quest to find themselves. Something she didn’t have when she was a kid. Roy is a little startled but he takes these kids in stride and comes to care for them as well.

Overall, it was a great read and I was not able to put it down once I was started. It’s and easy read with only 67 pages but you see the love bloom between Venetia and Roy as they overcome their angst with themselves and each other, although Roy has more than Venetia. Explanations are a little slower than I prefer but I’m the “must know everything right now” kind of gal. 🙂 There is a happy ending, but the work to get there is very realistic and tugs on your heartstrings.

With this, I give His Kind of Woman 5 stars.

-Eloreen

ABOUT NONA RAINES

Nona Raines

Nona Raines is a former librarian who lives in upstate New York with her many pets. She’s currently working on her next novel between walking the dog and shooing the cats off the laptop. Her romances are published with The Wild Rose Press and Loose Id. Her transgender romance His Kind of Woman was nominated for the 2014 DABWAHA sponsored by the Dear Author and Smart Bitches, Trashy Books review blogs. Her most recent work is the romance novella Write to Me and the transgender romance Her Kind of Man.

Her Kind of Man Tour Giveaway Graphic

a Rafflecopter giveaway
logo

5 Star #Review ‘Fish Stick Fridays’ by Rhys Ford #LGBT #Mystery #Romance

An another Rhys Ford review on release day! This is for Fish Sticks Fridays here on Moonbeams over Atlanta.

 

The Review:

5 Stars

bluestarclipartbluestarclipartbluestarclipartbluestarclipartbluestarclipart

 

Bad boy Deacon Reid fought for his niece, Zig, after his sister passed away, and has settled in Half Moon Bay. Lang Harris grew up a rich kid and actually owns a lot of Half Moon Bay. Together, they dodge people trying to kill them, fires, and things that go boom. In between they discover each other and strive to make their own family.

Deacon and Lang are hot together. They are real and learning to love, in their own ways. They each have their own brand of baggage and angst. Who doesn’t? Zig is cute in her tutus and combat boots with her own issues and nightmares entwined with Deacon and Lang, and tied up with why they are being hunted. I didn’t see the reason until almost to the end. Rhys did a great job of the overall mystery arc. I love the realism, suspense, and mystery in this new series and can’t wait for the next one.

With this, I give Fish Stick Fridays 5 stars.

Eloreen

Blurb: 

Deacon Reid was born bad to the bone with no intention of changing. A lifetime of law-bending and living on the edge suits him just fine—until his baby sister dies and he finds himself raising her little girl.

Staring down a family history of bad decisions and reaped consequences, Deacon cashes in everything he owns, purchases an auto shop in Half Moon Bay, and takes his niece, Zig, far away from the drug dens and murderous streets they grew up on. Zig deserves a better life than what he had, and Deacon is determined to give it to her.

Lang Harris is stunned when Zig, a little girl in combat boots and a purple tutu, blows into his bookstore, and then he’s left speechless when her uncle, Deacon Reid, walks in hot on her heels. Lang always played it safe, but Deacon tempts him to step over the line… just a little bit.

More than a little bit. And Lang is willing to be tempted.

Unfortunately, Zig isn’t the only bit of chaos dropped into Half Moon Bay. Violence and death strike, leaving Deacon scrambling to fight off a killer before he loses not only Zig but Lang too.

Buy Link: Dreamspinner Press

Title: Fish Stick Fridays
Author: Rhys Ford
Series: Half Moon Bay, Book 1
Print Length: 204 pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Published Date: November 30, 2015
Cover Artist: Reece Notley
ISBN-13; 978-1-62380-948-5

Author Bio

Rhys Ford was born and raised in Hawai’i then wandered off to see the !rhys_ford_headshotworld. After chewing through a pile of books, a lot of odd food, and a stray boyfriend or two, Rhys eventually landed in San Diego, which is a very nice place but seriously needs more rain.

Rhys  admits to sharing the house with three cats of varying degrees of black fur, and a ginger cairn terrorist. Rhys is also enslaved to the upkeep a 1979 Pontiac Firebird, a Toshiba laptop, and a red Hamilton Beach coffee maker.

5 Star #Review ‘D.N.A.’ by Alex Hurst #ScienceFiction #Amazon

Here is the review I promised from the release day post. I’m slowly catching up on my reviews. 🙂 Blurb, purchase information, and author info at the end of the review.

 

The Review:

5 Stars

bluestarclipartbluestarclipartbluestarclipartbluestarclipartbluestarclipart

 

So, I ran across this from the author requesting blog space.  It was intriguing because of the “science” for a full-skin transplant that involves nanonites and synthetic tissue, resulting in a little bit more than expected when Alta, the main character, was given technology to save her life.  It’s short and has funny parts, and makes you want to read the rest. The illustrations are wonderful and I can’t wait to see more of them as well. D.N.A is a little different in that it’s an illustrated story and not a comic. You don’t see that everyday. It does read a little bit like a comic–I like that, but it doesn’t distract from the words or the illustrations. I read it on my Nook Color, just fine.

Alta has a symbiotic relationship with the AI, called Digital Nanocell Accelerator, or D.N.A, for short, that controls her nanoCell skin. She is elevated to an almost superhero power of a Chameleon. It’s an unique way for someone to gain paranormal capabilities. Definitely a must read for the Science Fiction fan. While there was not romance in this story, there were hints that there might be some in future installments. It was still fun to read, and look forward to more.

With this, I give D.N.A. 5 stars.

Eloreen

DNABlurb: 

The story chronicles the adventures of Alta Williams, a woman of a future where genetics dictate quality of life and scientific discovery advances at an inconceivable rate. Alta is known to the media as the Human Doll, the first successful case of a full nanoCell organ transplant.

Alta appreciates the technology around her: without it, a chemical fire would have killed her in her early twenties. Though the fire destroyed her extracellular matrix, scientists from the medical behemoth nanoTech were able to replace her ruined skin with their patented nanoCell material, giving her a second lease on life.

However, with nanotechnology now advanced enough to alter the human genome, and a company determined to capitalize – and control – the endeavor, it is up to Alta to expose their plans.

And she’s not alone.

Helping her every step of the way is D.N.A., the Digital Nanocell Accelerator, a self-learning computer program charged with telling synthetic cells which tissue they should build. D.N.A. fuses with Alta’s fully-synthetic skin and convinces her to fight against those who would otherwise oppress society as she knows it.

Of course, it helps that D.N.A. can change the genetic makeup of Alta’s skin at will, gifting her with the characteristics of any living recorded in the Genome Project. With the world’s genetic code at her whim, Alta has the power to overcome anything…

…but at what cost to her humanity?

**Please note that this is a novella with illustrations, not a comic or full-length novel**

Buy Link: Amazon

Title: D.N.A.: Alta
Author: Alex Hurst, Illustrated: Kevin Nichols
Series: D.N.A. Book 1
Print Length: 24 pages (Novella)
Publisher: Bookmark Comics
Published Date: July 15, 2015
ASIN: B0101Y6Z9Y

Author Bio

fun_portrait

Alex Hurst writes primarily character-driven fantasy, in such sub-genres as urban, Gothic, uncanny, and regional fantasy. Sometimes, she dapples in science fiction, horror, and LGBT literature.

She was raised in the wilds of the south. Lightning storms and hurricanes created the playpens of her youth, and in the summers, she used to spend all of her time dodging horseflies in a golden river, catching fish and snakes with her bare hands, swinging from vines, and falling out of magnolia trees.

In the dawn of her adolescence, her family took her on a journey across the United States, from the white sands of Pensacola, FL, to the razor’s edge of the Hell’s Backbone in Utah. They finally landed in Marin, CA, where lotus eaters tried to make city folk out of them (but miserably failed.) She currently lives in Kyoto, Japan, working as a writer and dream-smith.

She also freelances as an editor for the Writers’ Anarchy anthology series, designs book interiors at Country Mouse Design, and admins on the Fiction Writers community on Facebook, assisting emerging writers.

Feel free to stay a while, leave a comment or send her an email. If you feel so inclined, you can also follow her on any of the links below.

 

Blog | Facebook | Google+ | Twitter | Pinterest | Tumblr | LinkedIn | Flickr | DeviantArt | YouTube | StumbleUpon | B’ | RSS

.@Totally_Bound 5 Star #Review of “Then Came Cal” by Lee Barrows #LGBT @PridePublishing

I’ve started reviewing for #TotallyBound and #PridePublishing so you will see my reviews there as well. Here is the first book from them received in exchange for an honest review.

 

The Review:

 

5 Stars

bluestarclipartbluestarclipartbluestarclipartbluestarclipartbluestarclipart

There were two sorties this week that I thought about reading for review. A MM Suspense or this cute Contemporary. I wasn’t feeling it for a hip-wading mystery/suspense so I choose Then Came Cal by Lee Barrows.  I hadn’t read Lee before and the blurb sounded great, so I went with it.

We meet Sean Hutchins getting laid off from his job in California, the one he had since graduating, only to discover his roommate and sometimes lover that he thought he wanted to go to the next step in their relationship getting it on in their bed– and not with him. He quickly leaves and seeks his best friend, Cassie, and running into Cal, her visiting brother from New York, on the worse day of his life. He’d rather not talk to him as he’s had a suppressed crush on him since meeting the years before, but in his dazed state he discovers he still has feelings for him. Cal discovers more to Sean in his interactions, and his heartstrings are tugged in a direction he didn’t think he wanted past the normal hook-ups and one-night stands.

As I said when I started, this cute little story was just what I was looking for. I was particularly drawn to Cal as he worked out his feelings and possessiveness for someone he only thought about as his little sister’s best friend, helping Sean where he could and getting to know him in the process.  Sean’s heart opens up to the possibility of Cal liking him when Cal continues to help him get his life back together. While I liked Sean’s character, I didn’t really connect to him as much as I connected to Cal. He was a sweet one but somewhat down on himself, yet still was strong in Cal’s eyes. I liked seeing the different points of views between Sean and Cal, with a little bit of Cassie thrown in. It’s a fast, true love, and the happy ending is satisfying. The sex scenes were not numerous but nicely done. It’s a short read, only about a hundred pages (depending upon your eReader) and that was the perfect length for this story. Overall, I enjoyed it immensely and look forward to more stories from Lee.

With this, I give Then Came Cal 5 stars.

Eloreen

thencamecal_pride_exlarge_PNG-180x288

Book Links:

Goodreads | PridePublishing

5 Star #Review of “Sloe Ride” (Sinners 4) by Rhys Ford #ReleaseDay #LGBT

Yes! Moonbeams over Atlanta welcomes Rhys Ford back for another review in the Sinners series: Book 4 – Sloe Ride which releases today! I will be at DragonCon, so I will only be here in spirit (the power of scheduling posts, especially for a one-woman blogger like me). However, I have the app, so go ahead and comment and reblog. I’ll make sure to approve. 😉

 

The Review:

Rhys provided the story to me for an honest review back in late July.  Thank you for the opportunity. True story: I received a couple of Rhys’ stories in advance for review so far. I’ve been a bit behind this last year or so because of a variety of reasons. Figuring I was going to have to read a couple back story books, I was pleasantly surprised that I am in fact, caught up. (I have a database that tells me what I’ve read and not read.) And I was supposed to review Tequila Mockingbird. Crap, did I review it? Shoot. (Goes searching for post. Sure enough, published June 2014.) So I reread Tequila and started in on Sloe Ride.

5 Stars

bluestarclipartbluestarclipartbluestarclipartbluestarclipartbluestarclipart

As expected, Sloe Ride continues the saga of the rock band started in Sinner’s Gin and it’s re-formation with new band members. And we get Quinn’s story. 🙂 I’ve been looking forward to this all series.

Quinn Morgan is my favorite supporting character through out the series. He’s a little quirky, a lot of fun, and coddled by the Morgan family. As the title implies, it is a slow ride to watch Rafe Andrade return to Quinn after years being a drug addict, general bad-boy bassist, and all around typical reason a lot of rock stars die young. Rafe had a spectacular falling out with his former band due to unusual circumstances and ultimately resulted in him getting off the drugs. There is plenty of angst on both sides but Quinn begins to rely on Rafe and help lead him to his own dreams.

I did end up reading it one sitting. Go figure. I typically do that with Rhys’ books. So, be prepared for that hanky because there are parts that will make you cry (well, they made me cry), and have enough time to read it in one sitting. You won’t want to put it down.

With this, I give Sloe Ride 5 stars.

Eloreen Moon

Book Links:

Goodreads Dreamspinner

5 Star #Review “Circling Back” by Amanda Young #Menage #Romance

Early August, Moonbeams over Atlanta posted a cover reveal for Ms. Amanda. I have read Amanda’s MM stories and enjoyed them. I was intrigued by the blurb enough from the post that I asked to review it. She provided a copy for an honest review. I’m glad I did. 🙂

Circling Back 500x750Title: Circling Back
Author:
Amanda Young
Genre:
M/M/F Erotic Romance
Book Release Date: 
August 10th
Blurb: 

A second chance is only the beginning…

Stella fled home at seventeen with a broken heart, an unplanned pregnancy, and a vow never to look back. Twenty years later, she has a career she enjoys and a solid relationship with the child she placed for open adoption. When that child goes in search of her birth father and calls for assistance, Stella is forced to return to her hometown and face the men who broke her heart, one of whom fathered her child.

Gavin and Holden raised a lot of hell as teenagers. They broke the law, broke their mother’s hearts, and almost broke each other before they finally got their act together. Through all the ups and downs, they stuck by each other and managed to build a happy life together. The one thing they couldn’t do was forget the woman they’d loved and lost.

Forced to face the past and each other after so many years is no small feat. The trio does their best to make amends and put the past behind them while forging new bonds. Old feelings are rekindled and new emotions emerge from the ashes of their youthful indiscretions. Something remarkable could be on the horizon if they’re strong enough to navigate the pitfalls of a triad relationship and stand strong against the outside forces conspiring to bring them to their knees.

Book Links:

Goodreads | ARe | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Smashwords

Review:

5 Stars

bluestarclipartbluestarclipartbluestarclipartbluestarclipartbluestarclipart


Despite my blog’s submission page to the contrary, I do read other things besides LGBT Romance. I just haven’t been reviewing them here because there are A LOT of books that I receive and review (here and Rainbow Gold Reviews) that the emails were overwhelming. However, I do make exceptions when a story intrigues me, especially when it’s not LGBT as Rainbow Gold Reviews posts only those in that spectrum.

This one could be considered LGBT since it involves an MM partnership between Gavin and Holden (although both men consider themselves bisexual) that is adding a woman to their relationship, but their relationship is only touched upon as the focus is on the three of them– and the daughter they didn’t know they had with Stella. We find out the biological father, but both Gavin and Holden want to be a father to Mae. I’m a sucker for bisexual and menage relationships. And this one is no exception. It was well written, the sex scenes are hot between the men and all three of them, and you can see the love between the three some twenty years later. I love second chance stories and this fit in with a happy ever after with another little surprise. It seemed to have a few slow parts and was lighter in angst than I was expecting, but otherwise was a really great to read.

With this, I give Circling Back 5 stars.

-Eloreen

 

About the author:

Amanda Young lives in Virginia with her husband, daughter, and two pampered pooches. When she’s not writing, she can usually be found chasing after a mischievous toddler or daydreaming about the characters in her next book. She loves to hear from her readers, and can be found on Facebook and Twitter. Her website, www.amandayoung.org, is where you can find up-to-date information on all of Amanda’s current and upcoming releases.

Find Amanda online: 

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter

 

‘Where There’s Smoke’ by Nico Jaye #LGBT #Review

I’m back over at Rainbow Gold Reviews!

@Eyes_on_Books #BookTour: “Love Cubed” by @Author_E_LeFey #LGBT #Romance #Excerpt #Review @Wayward_Ink_Pub

Love Cubed Blog Tour

 

Welcome to Moonbeams over Atlanta, Eddy LeFey! This is a review book tour and there is a contest, so read on! A copy of the book was provided for the purpose of this review.

LoveCubed

Title: Love Cubed

Author: Eddy LeFey

Length: novel

Genre: gay romance, contemporary, new adult, menage, MMM

Synopsis

Three very different young men meet at St-Frederick’s University.

Francis, haunted by his past and seeking a new life.

Andrew, the introverted football jock.

And Sebastian, the charismatic and confident hockey star.


Francis, wary and troubled, didn’t count on meeting anyone he could care for.

Andrew, closeted and lonely, didn’t think anything would matter more than his football career.

And Sebastian, content to float from conquest to conquest, never believed he’d meet someone who could hold his interest.

An encounter with a journalist causes consequences for all three.

Will they be able to take what they need from one another in order to cope?

Book Trailer

https://youtu.be/7WiSesBOsBM

 

Buy Links

WIPAmazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | ARe | B&N

Giveaway

Prizes: 1 x $20 WIP Gift Card and 1 x ebook copy of Love Cubed

The Review:

4 Stars

bluestarclipartbluestarclipartbluestarclipartbluestarclipart

I saw the title for Love Cubed and was intrigued by it. I had to read more. It’s a ménage with jocks. Despite not being a follower of Sports-type events personally, I love to read about mm hockey players, football players, and swimmers finding love.

I’m all about three men together. That solidified it for me.

I had a month to read it. I said to myself, “I can do this.” For many that follow me here and on social media, I’ve had a heck of a year and this year is shaping up to be just as… interesting. 3 days ago I realized I hadn’t even started it and my post is on Monday. Crap. So, being my multitasking self, I read it last night while doing other things.

I had to finish it, and in the wee hours one day before my scheduled post day, I managed it.

I loved it.  There were some point of view changes that I had to re-read a couple of times to catch who was talking/thinking. I like POV changes, but they were paragraph by paragraph changes in the early chapters, so a little different writing style that was difficult follow initially. There were a lot of description–rather than action. Since some of it was catching up with other secondary characters, it felt normal for the story. A misplaced period at the end of one sentence, but otherwise proofing/grammar was good. Loved Sebastian, Andrew, and Francis. Their growth, their rising love, and how they were woven together were great. Polyamory is hard to write well, and Eddy did a great job of building the characters, including several secondary characters to give it realism. It was easier later in the book, and hard to put down, which is why I managed to read it one sitting. 🙂 Being a mathematics geek, I did enjoy the reference. I will definitely have to look for more works.

With this, I give Love Cubed 4 stars.

Eloreen Moon

Excerpt:

Francis was feeling hungry after a full day of sports, but he was also anxious to see if he could spot the photographer, who he now remembered was some kind of journalist for the National Herald. However, he didn’t want to spoil the camaraderie that had developed between him and the others—Andrew and Sebastian especially—so he decided to leave the photographer thing alone for now. He was enjoying the praise Andrew and Sebastian were pouring onto him, and the closeness. It felt good. Suddenly, he heard a shout. Someone was shouting a name he hadn’t heard in a long time. He panicked. He got loose from Andrew and he ran. He wouldn’t stop until he was safe in his room. He knew now he should never have left it.

Sebastian and Andrew saw John and Heather talking to the photographer guy, and tried to distract Francis from noticing him. Andrew put his arm around Francis, guiding him away. They would have succeeded if it weren’t for Francis hearing someone shouting. It wasn’t even his name, but all of a sudden, Francis bolted. Andrew’s and Sebastian’s instincts were telling them to run after him. However, they both stopped abruptly and turned back to the photographer when they heard John yell, “Are you telling us our Francis is really Robert Katz? The Robert Katz?”

Everyone had heard of Robert Katz. It was a scandal involving a young high school student from a very prestigious private school who had broken a sexual abuse ring involving a teacher. The accused had committed suicide. This caused a backlash toward the accuser, Robert Katz, who had then been bullied and harassed, accused of making up the whole thing. It culminated in Robert being physically abused by fellow students who were trying to torture the truth out of him. Charges had been laid. People had been found guilty and sentenced. An inquiry was started. There was a publication ban throughout the trials and the inquiry. No one was to publish pictures of Robert, to ensure he could at least try to live a normal life.

Andrew stomped his way to the journalist, followed closely by Sebastian. “That was Francis Hollingsworth who just ran off. Are you saying that he is really Robert Katz? You have proof?”

Denis sighed. “I didn’t mean for this to get out just yet, not like this. I should not have shouted his name. I could be fired for this. I know what Robert Katz looks like because I saw him at the trials. His full name is Robert Francis Katz. His mother’s maiden name is Hollingsworth. It’s him. I need to talk to him.”

Heather was the one who put a hand out to stop him. “You aren’t going anywhere near him. He didn’t deserve to be outed like this.” Heather turned to Sebastian and Andrew. “You two need to go to Francis. He’s probably locked himself in his room. God knows what he’ll do. He needs to know that people care about him—that he’s loved—before he does something stupid to himself. You both need to go and tell him how you each feel about him. Be honest with him and with yourselves for once. Do it. Now!

Stunned, bewildered, and spurred on by the urgency of the situation, Andrew and Sebastian ran in the dorm’s direction.

About the authorEddy LeFey

Eddie LeFey started reading m/m romance fanfiction a few years ago. At one point, during a crucial point in the soap opera storyline of his favorite gay couple, the story went on hiatus. He needed a fix and decided to write his own version of what he wished would happen. Friends wanted to read it, so he plucked up his courage. Pressing the submission button was nerve-wracking, but he did it. People liked it. He wrote a few more.

Up until that point Eddy had tried his hand at writing many times. The delete button was his friend, as was starting over, and over, and over, but he could no longer do that if he wanted people to read his works.

A few of his writing friends decided to create original stories, and feeling brave, Eddy did the same. The stories were shared among a select few. They encouraged him to submit one of them. Low and behold, it is now being published.

Eddy lives in Canada with his husband Ken and his cat Oscar Wild. He is busy writing many more stories.

Email | Twitter | Facebook

image001