Bayou Book Junkie: Blog Tour ~ Evasive Maneuvers by Lynn Michaels ~ (Review, Excerpt + Giveaway)

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Blog Tour ~ Evasive Maneuvers by Lynn Michaels ~ (Review, Excerpt + Giveaway)

Blog Tour ~ Evasive Maneuvers by Lynn Michaels ~ (Review, Excerpt + Giveaway)
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TITLE: Evasive Maneuvers

AUTHOR: Lynn Michaels

COVER ARTIST: Jay Aheer

LENGTH: 58,500 words

RELEASE DATE: July 16, 2016

BLURB: Campbell Fain has been rebelling against his father, refusing to grow up for so long, he's not sure what his life really means anymore. When he meets the man that makes his heart melt, he lies to impress him. Unfortunately, facing the truth may turn out to be the least of his problems when he's forced to come face to face with the sins of his father.

He was the quarterback in high school, all American sweetheart and solid guy, but Stone Medlock is just figuring out his life. When he meets Campbell Fain, it turns his world around and he just might be falling hard for the rebellious punk, but will he still be able to support and trust Campbell when the lies come out?

Will Campbell's lies tear them apart before they even begin? Will they find the love behind the lies?

Stone pulled his jeans all the way off, dropping them to the floor along with his sexy briefs. I couldn't help notice how manly they were; everything about Stone was manly. If I hadn't met him at a gay club, I never would have thought he batted for my team, but every bit of me was so happy he did. It never hurt to have out jocks on the team! He smelled masculine too. Some of that could have been his products that I could smell on myself too, but some of it was just his own natural, earthy scent that I couldn't get enough of.

As I stared at him, waiting for more, his face shifted to something a little less sexy. His brows pressed down, making him appear unhappy or concerned.

“What?”

“Campbell. Listen. I need to know what else you lied about.”

I chuckled, nervously. “What?” Why the hell did he bring this shit up now, especially when I thought we'd gotten past it?

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**A copy of this book was provided by the publisher to Bayou Book Junkie in exchange for a fair and honest review***

Campbell Fain has never wanted to follow in his father's footsteps and the more he pulls away from what is expected of him, the bigger the wedge between them grows. His family thinks it's time for him to grow up, but it isn't until he meets Stone Medlock that he realizes they might be right. In an effort to make himself, in his opinion, more desirable, he lies to Stone claiming to be a law student and working for his famous father. As the relationship intensifies Camp struggles how to tell Stone the truth.

Campbell's biggest fear is that Stone will never forgive him for his lies. Unfortunately Stone finds himself facing something even more frightening. Someone is intent on destroying Mitchell Fain and it looks like they'll use Campbell to do it. Has Campbell lost Stone forever? Will he survive long enough to make things right?

First, let me say the cover of Evasive Maneuvers is wonderful. I am a person who can't help but to judge a book by its cover when I first get it. I loved this cover. It was the kind of cover that screamed intensity. Unfortunately though, that passion I felt from the cover didn't quite match up to what I felt from the story.

One of my favorite genres is Paranormal, with that we see Insta-love quite frequently and it's something I don't think twice about. It's pretty much expected for the protagonists to meet and fall madly and deeply in love with one another, after all they're fated mates. However, when I read contemporary romance, I go for a degree of realism and insta-love, in my opinion, is just not realistic. Sure I believe in lust at first sight, but love? Not so sure. This was my major complaint with Evasive Maneuvers.

We have two young men who meet one night at a club and are immediately drawn to one another. They end up going for coffee to talk and then go back to one of the MC's apartment.

I knew it was way too soon to say I loved him, but damn the man had me falling hard and fast, and I never did that. I'd had a few hookups; hell, I knew I had a desirable body, but they never lasted beyond a few dates.

The connection is so intense for both of them that, from the very beginning, they can barely keep their hands off of each other, despite their earlier agreement to not have sex that night.

Could this thing between us be the beginning of something that I'd never had before and might not ever have again? I decided in that moment, slick with our cum and rolling in laughter and watching his bright eyes flashing, that I needed to hold on to this new and fragile relationship with every drop of blood surging through my veins, every solid bone, and every malleable muscle.

They have just met and already there is mention of love and relationships. It was something that truly bugged me and made it hard to take things seriously. These are young men who have just met one another.

While I was glad Campbell's lies were finally exposed, I thought Stone overreacted a bit about the situation. It may just be me, but I truly believe a little communication could help them both with resolving the matter. Again the reaction was more of what I would've expected out of someone who'd been dating Campbell for months rather than days. Not to mention the way Stone continues to bring up trust issues throughout the book. There were quite a few times I just wanted to scream "Stone, just back off!"

Honestly, there is more emphasis put on the lie than on what happened to Campbell. Instead of making sure he's alright and dealing with his trauma, all Stone focuses on is the lies and not knowing if he can trust anything Campbell says anymore. I'm sorry but a little white lie would be the last thing I'd be thinking about at this point.

I'd love to say that I thought Stone and Campbell were great together, but the truth of the matter is that I'm not sure they were. At least not as a serious couple. They needed time to get to know one another, time to mature more.

The part of the story that focused on Campbell being punished for what his father had done was good although I wish we got more of it. That as the main plot would have been great, there was so much that could've been done with that.

If you are a fan of instalove and angst or a Lynn Michaels' fan you'll probably enjoy Evasive Maneuvers.

3 Stars!

Lynn Michaels lives and writes in Tampa, Florida where the sun is hot and the Sangria is cold. Lynn is the newest addition to Rubicon Fiction, and she loves reading and writing about hot men in love. She writes paranormal and contemporary MM Romance