Heart by Garrett Leigh: Review & Excerpt

Cover Artist: G.D. Leigh

Heart

by Garrett Leigh

Genre: Contemporary, M/M Romance

Cornish pastry chef Seb Wright dreads the summer tourist season. The cash injection to his artisan fudge pantry is more than welcome, the extra work, less so. Then one summer, a shadowy Good Samaritan catches his eye. Irish Traveller Dex is bewitching, a beautiful sullen enigma who turns Seb's world upside down until he disappears in the night, vanishing like a mystical summer rain. 

Twelve months later Dex is in the midst of a dark storm. A slave to his master, 'Uncle' Braden, he spends his days cleaning caravans and his nights working in Braden's other businesses. His short summer with Seb seems a lifetime ago. Lost in the savage violence of the murky underworld, he doesn't dare dream he'll ever find his way back, until one night, a brutal crime opens the door for a chance escape. A new life beckons, old faces emerge, and immersed in the heady vibe of London’s East End, new love begins to heal his fractured heart.

Stand by You by A.M. Arthur: Review

Stand by You

(Belonging, Book 3)

By A.M. Arthur

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Brendan Walker is a man of few words. Although some are intimidated by his size, the gentle personality that radiates from his heart quickly sets most at ease.

Romy Myers is an almost broken man with a very broken past. Years of abuse and neglect have left him with social anxiety and PTSD. Romy feels safe with Brendan, and their unusual friendship helps to ground him when circumstances trigger his panic attacks.

Brendan is attracted to his friend, but acting on his feelings could damage their friendship, and that is a risk Brendan is reluctant to take. There is also the not-so-small matter of coming out to his friends and family to consider as well.

This emotionally charged story is well written and paced. The traumatic experiences from Romy's past, as well as the challenges faced in this book, are balanced with moments of laughter, love and family. While at times difficult to read, the journey Bren and Roe travel together from friendship towards love is a touching story that focuses on hope rather than despair and is well worth reading.

STAND BY YOU, the third book in the Belonging series, can be read as a stand alone story, but contains characters from the first two books and the experience is enhanced by reading in order.

Review copy provided by NetGalley.

View all my reviews

Elves and Deer by Hollis Shiloh: Review & Exclusive Excerpt!

Elves and Deer

A Christmas Tale

by Hollis Shiloh

Greer is a reindeer shifter working at a magical shipping hub up North. He has little use for or understanding of elves—such delicate, short-lived creatures—but he tries to do his best by the ones in his life. And it seems like more and more are coming into his life, confusing and frustrating him, needing help, needing rescued. 

Since Greer is always busy, it's easy to overlook the things he doesn't want to acknowledge—until a terrible danger gives him unwanted time to think…and to realize there's just one elf who means more to him than he's ever wanted to admit. 

38,000 words 

Heat level: very low 

Love Me To Death by Marissa Clarke: Trailer, Teasers

Love Me To Death
(Underveil, Book 1) 
by Marissa Clarke

Genres: Adult, Paranormal Romance

Medical research scientist Elena Arcos has always lived her life under the radar. When she is shot in a convenience store robbery, Elena finds herself rocketed into supernatural insanity courtesy of a sexy immortal law enforcer. He’s convinced she’s some kind of freaky half-vampire thing and that her deceased dad was the real deal: a blood sucking monster. Yeah, right.

Nikolai Itzov never anticipated battling the urge to kiss the offspring of his father’s murderer. As a Slayer, an elite law enforcer descended from Azrael himself, his orders from the Underveil General are clear: Kill her or die.

Nikolai and Elena find themselves in a life and death battle to stop a plot designed to lift the Underveil and enslave humans. With her analytical mind and his centuries of training, they might be able to foil the plot with their lives and maybe their hearts intact. But in order to succeed, he must help her become the very thing he hates the most: an Undead.

Jerking Iron by Nya Rawlyns: Review, Guest Post, & More!

Jerking Iron

(Bad Boyfriends, Book 3)

by Nya Rawlyns

Genre: MM, Action/Adventure, Romance

With his business empire under fire and ready to collapse, Kane and his partners turn to unlikely sources for help.

Nick Lopez is a wounded warrior, an undercover major crimes cop caught in the crossfire when he brokers a deal between competing rival Miami crime families. When his best friend, David Black, calls him for advice, Nick sees it as an omen. Sometimes it’s better to get out of Dodge and live, so he quits the force and heads north.

Jace McClune has seen and done too much as a vice cop. His last undercover assignment was his undoing, leaving him with an intervention but no resolution. Thomas Kane has friends in high places and when he hints the mob’s fingerprints are all over the attempts to take over his businesses, the precinct brass see this as a good way for Jace to get his head on straight with a babysitting job.

Jace and Nick pair up for a simple sting operation, but they soon discover that under the layers of betrayal and lies runs the threat of a new operation—one that takes the skin trade to new levels of perversion. Neither man is prepared for the mutual attraction that simmers to a rolling boil as it becomes clear that the only way they can cut to the truth is to allow Jace to sink once more into the dangerous underbelly of the city.

They’re about to find out why a man you could not break was a man worth breaking...

Her Bark His Bite by A.E. Grace: Review & Excerpt

Her Bark His Bite:

Rise of the New Shifters

(A Vampire Shifter Romance)

by A.E. Grace

Genre: Paranormal Romance

They went looking for justice. They never expected to find love...

Curvy wolf shifter Lillian van Buren never believed in monsters... not real ones, anyway. When she learns that vampires exist, and that one of them has fed on a child, she vows to hunt down the heinous, fanged bloodsucker, and bring him to justice. 

She soon finds herself allied with a gorgeous, enigmatic vampire, but he's got a tad too many secrets. Using him was part of her plan, but falling in love with him never was... 

Isaac Reed has been outcast by the vampire society. He’s broken a cardinal rule, and if he can't bring a rogue child-feeder to justice, he won't just lose his freedom, he'll lose his life. 

He tracks down a shifter who has information he needs, but he never expects to feel a storm of attraction when he first lays eyes on her. To his own surprise, he finds his cold heart thawing... 

Her Bark His Bite is a paranormal romance that sees the delicate balance of the supernatural world thrown off-kilter. A battle between species is brewing. Will Lillian and Isaac's budding love survive it? 

55,000+ Paranormal Vampire & Shifter Romance

Prince of Faith by Belinda McBride: Interview, Excerpt & More!

Cover Artist: PL Nunn

Prince of Faith

(An UncommonWhore, Book 3) 

by Belinda McBride

Genres: Fantasy, M/M Romance, Science Fiction

Held captive in a whorehouse, Markus Dayspring wakes every morning with a thirst for revenge, and collapses every night with a prayer for strength. He lives on in spite of deadly addictions and a crippling, shameful secret. When he’s rescued by a man from his past, his reawakened love threatens to crush his damaged soul.

Caius also has a secret, one that could ultimately kill him. But his vow to rescue Markus is stronger than guilt, fear and even his loyalty to King Helios. Too many have died because of Caius and rescuing the missing prince might allow him to sleep without nightmares.

Old habits are hard to break and new pain threatens their growing love. Yet one gleaming ray of hope continues to guide them to safety, even in the face of an unexpected violation of trust. With the stakes growing higher by the hour, Markus and Caius must learn to have faith before they can heal and face the future together.

Damon Snow and the Nocturnal Lessons by Olivia Helling: Review & Excerpt

Damon Snow and the Nocturnal Lessons

(Damon Snow, Book 1)

by Olivia Helling

Genres: Regency, Erotic Romance

Damon Snow thinks he has the world figured out. As an incubus and male prostitute, it’s a cruel, dark, lonely place where men only want one thing. But when his long-time patron Byrne discovers he’s dying, Byrne offers to leave his entire fortune to him. There’s just one catch. Damon has to write about the reason why another patron procures his services. Caught up in his patron’s impossible love life, Damon suddenly isn’t so sure he knows the answer.

An Endless Sea of Stars by Jamie Lynn Miller: Review, Guest Post, & More

An Endless Sea of Stars

by Jamie Lynn Miller

Genre: M/M Romance, Sci-Fi

The year is 2121. While Earth has conquered exploration of the Milky Way, we have yet to develop an interstellar engine to take us beyond our own galaxy. Thus the Intergalactic Exploration Alliance and the Gemini Project were formed. Lieutenant Tobias Dekker is fresh out of the IEA academy and determined to be assigned to the Gemini engineering team. Putting career above all else. He knows from experience that relationships have no place in the Alliance.

Commander Caden Flynn is equally determined to see the Gemini prototype take flight to uncharted space. The engine is his late father's design and he wants nothing more than to be the test pilot that breaks the next light speed barrier. Two men dreaming of a sea of stars find that it's instead an ocean here on Earth that brings them together. Can Cade convince Toby to open up his heart and take a chance on love and explore the universe with him, side by side?

All Fired Up by Morticia Knight: Review & Excerpt

Cover Artist: Posh Gosh

All Fired Up

(Sin City Uniforms #1)

by Morticia Knight

Genre: Contemporary, M/M Romance, Thriller

Officer Shawn Everly patrols the Strip and one night, fireman Trent Marshall saves him when danger strikes. But it’s still uncertain whether Trent can save himself from getting his heart broken by Shawn.

The party never ends on the Las Vegas strip but neither does the danger. Officer Everly is new to the beat, having recently relocated to Vegas from Los Angeles. Foot patrol on the Strip is a demanding assignment because he’s up close and personal with the public. But what he’d really like to do is get up close and personal with Station 32’s hunky fireman, Trent Marshall.

Trent has been a fireman for over ten years and is dedicated to his job. He’s built tough and is a no-nonsense man of few words. At a local blood drive, Trent meets the handsome new officer on foot patrol but won’t let himself get too close. He’s lost love before when his policeman lover was killed in the line of fire.

During an emergency, Trent’s over-protective instincts kick in when he believes Shawn is in harm’s way. He ends up embarrassing and angering Shawn in front of their fellow officers, which seems as though it will end any hope of Trent having a chance with the young man he can’t push from his mind. Shawn can’t decide whether he wants to punch or kiss Trent. Kissing wins. Once they spend some time together away from the stresses of their jobs, they find that they’re not just compatible—they’re combustible.

But Trent can’t seem to accept that there are hazards that come with working in law enforcement. Right as they’re discovering how much they mean to one another, the danger escalates on the Strip. The underground vigilante group, The Citizens Against Immorality, have raised the stakes. Will Shawn and Trent be their next targets?

Bad Boy: Naughty at Night by Jamie Lake: Review, Excerpt & Guest Post

Bad Boy: Naughty at Night

(Bad Boy: Naughty at Night, Book 1)
by: Jamie Lake

Genre: MM, Erotica

Kindergarten teacher by day, sensual masseuse by night, Peter Davidson never thought things would get so tough that he’d need to give out sensual massages in secret in order to make ends meet. But when the school slashes his hours in half and with no other jobs available in town, he stumbles across the opportunity when fiddling around on an online dating site and a rather handsome older gentleman offers him money.

What he thinks will be a onetime thing turns into a booming business at night, and Peter promises himself he’ll only do it long enough just until he gets caught up. He has nothing else going on in his life, after all.

Handsome, classy and educated as he is, Peter still hasn’t met The One. Until, that is, he meets Chip - the parent of a new student, who turns out to be more man than he’s ever dreamed of.

What will Chip say if he finds out what Peter is doing on the side? And, what’s worse, what will the school say when they find out this teacher has been a very bad boy?

Meant for Him by D.H. Starr: Review & Excerpt

Meant For Him

(Meant for Each Other, Book 2)
by D.H. Starr

Genre: Contemporary; M/M romance

Another hot guy from Greenwich Village is about to meet his match. That is, if he doesn’t mess things up…this time. 

After the failure of his relationship with Jeremy, Andrew Jamieson threw himself into a routine his high powered job on Wall Street and workouts. After two years, however, he is unable to quell the longing in his heart for that special someone. Feeling hopeless, Andrew resigns himself to life of work and living alone in his pent house apartment. That is, until he's fixed up with Peter, the local bartender in Jeremy’s favorite watering hole in the East Village. Peter is hot, sweet, sensitive and…masterful. Peter brings out a side of Andrew he never knew he had. And he can’t get enough. However, the same difficulties Andrew had with Jeremy threaten to rear up and ruin his chances with Peter. Will Andrew love Peter enough to let himself have the one guy in the world who could be meant for him? 

Unconditional Surrender (M/M Military Bundle): Featuring Lia Davis, Interview, & Excerpt

by: Cat Grant, Cassandra Carr, Annabeth Albert, L.A. Witt, E.M. Lynley, Lia Davis, Sasha Devlin, Lucy Felthouse, Rhi Etzweiler, Kerry Adrienne, Keira Andrews, Brit Blaise, and Amelia C. Gormley

Strong. Sexy. Sizzling. 

There's nothing like a man in uniform, and thirteen of today's hottest gay romance authors are celebrating military heroes and the men brave enough to love them.

These brand-new novellas feature all branches of the service and offer something for every reader. Almost 300,000 never before published words!

Hook, Line, & Sinker by Piper Vaughn: Cover Reveal & Excerpt

Cover Artist: Paul Richmond

Hook, Line, & Sinker

(Hard Hats, Book 2)

by Piper Vaughn

Genre: Contemporary, M/M Romance
Expected publication: November 19th, 2014

When they were teens, Castor McCormick was the bane of Blake Kowalski’s existence. Their mutual animosity led to summers filled with rivalry. Now, nearly two decades later, Cas is moving back into the neighborhood to live in his grandmother’s old house. Blake tells himself he isn’t interested in seeing how snarky little Cas grew up, but when his mother dupes him into visiting his former nemesis, he finds out “pretty” can evolve into “sexy as hell” on the right man.

Cas didn’t think he wanted to see Blake again. No one has ever pushed his buttons like the arrogant boy he remembers from their youth. Turns out, the adult version of Blake still gets him hot under the collar—and everywhere else. With Blake on leave from work to nurse an injured leg and Cas taking time to move and unpack, they form a tentative friendship that turns into a sexual affair neither man can deny. But when Cas’s job sends him out of state to deal with a difficult client, their new relationship will be tested, and if they fail, Blake’s broken leg might not be the only thing to end up scarred.

Exciting News at Carly's Book Reviews!

“There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want.” 

― Bill Watterson (Author of my favorite comic strip, "Calvin and Hobbes")

The most unexpected thing happened to me today, I found myself with absolutely nothing scheduled for posting. So here I am, sitting in front of my computer with time on my hands. Huh. What should I do with this unexpected window of opportunity? I certainly could post a review or two; there are lots of books that I've read but haven't reviewed yet. I could do nothing and use my time to read a book or two on my long list of titles that I want to review but haven't had the time to read. The last idea I had turned out to be the winner. I'm going to use this time to let you all in on some of the exciting things that are coming up here on the blog and in my life!

• We're getting a make-over! The fabulous Lex Valentine of Winterheart Design has put her creative hat on and is giving me the professional help I obviously need. Look forward to lots of purple and butterflies! They are my totem animal because, like me, they appear to be fragile but are surprisingly strong and resilient. In fact, my first tattoo was of a purple butterfly.

• Jamie Lake has invited me to stop by his blog for an interrogat... I mean interview. It will be posted next week, and I've gotten some fabulous questions from him! I'm going to be dishing on topics from my favorite books, things I'm passionate about, and what makes me unique. I thought it was extremely generous of him to describe me as "unique" when everyone knows that I'm as "special" as a one-man-band in a library! =)

• The biggest news is that I'm going to be published!

• Slated for publication on January 19th, 2015 Lucky Like That is a contemporary M/M romantic comedy about Ethan, a young man who is hilariously unlucky. His unwanted life motto is that "if it can go wrong, it will go wrong." I hope you will laugh yourselves silly over Ethan and his wacky family as he meets Andrew and embarks on a journey towards love that's filled with misadventures.

• On March 10th, 2015 Awakening Tohren my science fiction M/M romantic novella will be published. It tells the story of Zander, a young(ish) male who has been mapping the topography of planet v16943 for the last 35 years. The Tohren race lives a sense and color deprived life until matched with an assigned biological mate and their microbes activate. Zander won't have a mate chosen for him until he reaches 150 years of age and doesn't know what to do when his microbes are unexpectedly activated... by another male.

Sotto Voce by Erin Finnegan: Review, One Question & More!

Sotto Voce

by Erin Finnegan

Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance
Expected publication: October 21st 2014

New York-based wine critic Thomas Baldwin can make or break careers with his column for Taste Magazine. But when his publisher orders him to spend a year profiling rising stars of California’s wine country and organizing a competition between the big name wineries of Napa and the smaller artisan wineries of Sonoma, his world gets turned upside-down by an enigmatic young winemaker who puts art before business.

Sotto Voce is the story of love and wine, and how both require patience, passion, an acceptance of change—and an understanding that sometimes, you have to let nature take its course.

Heart of the Matter by LaQuette: Review, Interview, & More!

Heart of the Matter

(Queens of Kings, Book 1)
by LaQuette

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Heart “Mac” MacKenzie is a tough police lieutenant in the NYPD servicing the rough streets of Brooklyn, New York. She’s a strong leader who doesn’t mind getting in the trenches with the men and women she leads at the seventy-fourth precinct. Her house, her people, and her family—both blue and blood—are the only things that matter. She would live and die for the blue wall that shields her from a traumatic past.

When her captain assigns her a high-profile kidnapping case that she doesn’t want, and insists she allows the missing girl’s irritatingly sexy uncle to tag along during the investigation, her blood boils. Mac has no choice but to do what she always does when things get out of control, lay down the law—her law.

Kenneth Searlington is a rich playboy from the Upper East Side of Manhattan. With stunning looks and an unlimited source of wealth, he’s used to being the center of everyone’s attention, especially the women that he comes in contact with in high society. His life is fun and carefree until his niece, Merridith is kidnapped, and he’s forced to seek out the help of his godfather an NYPD police captain, David Porter.

Afraid and frustrated, Kenneth defers to his uncle’s expertise and his promise that he’s putting his best cop on the case, Lieutenant MacKenzie. When Kenneth discovers “Mac” is actually a sexy as sin lady cop with a fiery temper to match, he decides mixing a little business with pleasure might be just the thing he needs to distract him from long-standing family issues that are trying to crawl their way back into the forefront of his life.

Each used to having their own way, can these two work together long enough to bring an innocent child home? Or will they settle their differences and unyielding attraction in a more carnal way and get right down to the heart of the matter?

Random Acts by Mia Kerick: Review, & Excerpt & Giveaway

Random Acts

by Mia Kerick
 Genres: Contemporary M/M Romance

Bradley Zelder can’t find his way in life. After struggling for nearly a decade, he has yet to complete his college degree. Working as a school custodian, living in blue-collar Landsbury, MA, his love life is as empty as the rest of his existence. But on his way home after another disastrous date, his truck breaks down in upscale Oceanside. When he thinks life can’t get any worse, a man who is the epitome of Boston elite and everything Bradley finds attractive and intimidating helps him move his truck to the side of the road. Ashamed of his lot in life, Bradley almost lets the opportunity slip away, but he comes to his senses in time and tracks Caleb down.

From a random act of kindness, romance begins to grow, filling all the dark corners of Bradley’s empty life—until a random act of violence threatens to take it all away. Bradley must step up and be the man Caleb believes him to be. Caleb rescued him from a life without hope. Can Bradley rescue him in return?

Violca's Dragon by Leilani Love: Review & Excerpt

Violca’s Dragon

(The Dragon Ruby Series, Book 1)

by Leilani Love

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Violca knows life can change instantly. Her parents died suddenly, leaving her to raise four younger sisters and keep them safe ~ even from the golden-eyed stranger. 

Chase knows the Grey sisters possibly hold the key to his fate. He is determined to to get close, protect them and bring them to his Dragon King. What Violca doesn't know is that once a dragon decides he wants something, there is no stopping him from getting it.