DSP Advent Calendar Review ~ Exit Through the Gift Shop by Kim Fielding (Giveaway)

DSP Advent Calendar Review ~ Exit Through the Gift Shop by Kim Fielding

Title: Exit Through the Gift Shop
Author: Kim Fielding
Category: Holiday, Advent
Pages: 34

Dreamspinner Press

Alex’s traditional family Christmas Compromise means spending the holiday at a second-rate theme park, Poseidon’s Planet, but Alex doesn’t mind. He enjoys the rides and the company of his family, and it’s a good break from his going-nowhere existence back in Indiana. Then he meets a certain sexy employee in a pirate costume, and Alex’s vacation gets even better. But thrill rides last only a short time, and sooner or later everyone has to return to real life. Alex long ago gave up on marrying a handsome prince—will he have to give up on his pirate as well?

Book Review: Chains Required by BL Maxwell (Giveaway)

Rio and Caden have been together for a few years now. It’s a rare weekend they get to spend alone. When Rio suggests they get away to Tahoe for the weekend a few weeks before Christmas, Caden is too excited to even think of saying no. They start their trip and even though they think they’ve planned for every emergency, they can’t control what Mother Nature has in store for them.

When the car in front of them spins out in the newly fallen snow, they stop to help and soon find out that Caden’s not as alone in this world as he had originally thought. A few more planned surprises make for a special weekend for these hard-working guys who really deserve a weekend getaway.

Can be read as a standalone.

ONLY 99¢ or FREE on KU

mybook.to/ChainsRequired

Release Blitz: You. Forever. Always. by K.A. Merikan (Review + Giveaway)



Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK Exclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow with Kindle Unlimited.

Length: 50,000 word approx.

Cover Design: Natasha Snow

Underdogs Series 

Book #1 - Manic Pixie Dream Boy - Amazon US | Amazon UK

Book #2 - Just Here For The Pain - Amazon US | Amazon UK

Blurb

---Years of loving in secret. Now the secret’s out.---

Mage. Reasonable. Mature. In love with his best friend’s little brother.
Dawn. Painfully shy. Crazy talented. An anxious cinnamon roll in need of protection.

Mage has always been Dawn’s hero. He’s been there for him when Dawn was bullied, when Dawn came out, and when he joined The Underdogs. He’s also been Dawn’s first and only love—painfully unrequited, since Mage is straight. But that’s only for the better, because they’re bandmates, and Dawn’s brother is Mage’s best friend.

It would all be too intense, too complicated, too real.

But then one drunken kiss proves Mage might not be as straight as he seemed, and their whole world turns upside down. Even though Dawn craves Mage’s love so much his heart could burst, his shyness stands in the way of any future they could share.

While they have to keep their budding relationship under wraps and they prepare to sign a major record deal, Dawn’s anxiety gets out of control. Mage will have to choose between the success he’s always craved and the love of his life.

POSSIBLE SPOILERS:
Themes: rock band, bandmates romance, older brother’s best friend, coming out, bisexuality, first love, anxiety, compromise, music, secret love
Genre: Contemporary M/M Rocker Romance
Heat level: sweet, explicit scenes
Length: ~50,000 words (Can be read as standalone, HEA)

Release Blitz: Teach Me to Touch You (Teach Me Series Novella 1) by Joshua Landon (Review + Excerpt + Giveaway)

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: Teach Me to Touch You (Novella 1 in the Teach Me Series)

Author: Joshua Landon

Publisher: Self-Published

Genre/s: Gay Romance

Length: 27 000 words approx. /100 pages

Heat Rating: 3 flames 

Release Date: December 23, 2018 

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Buy Links - Available on Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US

Amazon UK

   

 

Blurb

When Austin’s father deserts his young family, he leaves Austin and his sister to struggle with poverty and neglect at home and bullying at school. When Austin’s first girlfriend kisses him in high school, his PTSD flashback to childhood abuse scares his girlfriend away.

A Marine at eighteen, Austin returns home after four years with his PTSD aggravated by nightmares of war. He fears he’ll never have a sex life.

Daniel, a psychiatric technician with a speciality in PTSD, helps Austin readjust to civilian life. Over months of work together, trust grows between them along with an attraction they hide from each other, since Austin is straight and Daniel is gay.

A gifted healer, Daniel believes a sexual relationship between them could harm Austin, though Austin is anxious to learn to touch again. But when their visits are scheduled to end, both men must deeply examine their concerns and untangle their desires for the future.

Book Review: Gyrfalcon (Taking Shield #1) by Anna Butler

Earth's last known colony, Albion, is fighting an alien enemy. In the first of the Taking Shield series, Shield Captain Bennet is dropped behind the lines to steal priceless intelligence. A dangerous job, and Bennet doesn't need the distractions of changing relationships with his long-term partner, Joss, or with his father-and with Flynn, the new lover who will turn his world upside-down. He expects to risk his life. He expects the data will alter the course of the war. What he doesn't expect is that it will change his life or that Flynn will be impossible to forget.

Universal Buy Link (Free on all Platforms)

Audio Book Review: Vanilla Clouds by Roe Horvat (Reviews + Giveaway)

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Audible US | Audible UK

Length: 3hrs 45mins

Narrator: Vance Bastian

Blurb

"I could spend days listening to you talk about chocolate."

Sex and chocolate are the two pleasures Michal enjoys most in life.

His sex life has been nonexistent for some time, though. After a particularly bad hookup, he keeps mostly to himself. That leaves chocolate. Luckily, he works surrounded by the most delicious, extravagant produce in Gothenburg. Beside his job at the chocolaterie, his main source of excitement is his online friend, Magnus, whom he stubbornly refuses to meet in person.

A customer turns up at the chocolaterie one day - tall, shy, and charming. He could be just the right man. If Michal can step out of his overly safe shell, there might be not only chocolate, but sex, too. Maybe chocolate-flavored sex. And if he's lucky, maybe even love.

Warning: This book contains explicit scenes, adult language, and obscene amounts of chocolate.

Release Blitz: Something About Jace (Pineapple Grove #1) by Jocelynn Drake & Rinda Elliott (Review, Excerpt + Giveaway)

Title: Something About Jace

Series: Pineapple Grove #1

Author: Jocelynn Drake & Rinda Elliott

Publisher: Drake & Elliott, LLC

Release Date: December 28, 2018

Heat Level: 4 - Lots of Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 63k

Genre: Romance

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Synopsis

Gallery owner Jace Townsend loves his tiny hometown of Pineapple Grove, deep in South Florida. His life is filled with sunshine, blue skies, jogging on the beach with his dog, and the greatest friends a guy could want. What more could he ask for?

Love would be a great start. After his last relationship fell apart, Jace has begun to wonder if he’s ever going to find someone who would fit into his quiet life.

Of course, the last person who would fit into his life is a major movie star.

Trent Elrige is drowning. He’s constantly on the go from one movie obligation to the next. And after the last stalker got a little too close for comfort, Trent decides it’s time to take a step back and figure out what he’s doing with his life.

Pineapple Grove seemed the perfect spot to hide for six months and figure out his future. He just wasn’t expecting to be tackled by love so quickly.

But now that he’s found Jace, is he willing to risk everything he’s worked so hard for? And is Jace willing to walk away from his precious Pineapple Grove to be with Trent?

DSP Advent Calendar Review: Miracle on Three Kings' Day by Beth Laycock

Title: Miracle on Three Kings' Day
Author: Beth Laycock
Category: Holiday, Advent
Pages: 44

Dreamspinner Press


Levi’s family knows he needs to find a way out of his funk and be a part of the world again. His brother, Jesse, invites Levi to join him in sunny Spain for the holidays, but a delay at the airport finds Levi at Jesse’s home while his brother is stranded in Scotland. Luckily Alejandro—Alex—is on hand with a key, a friendly smile, and a willingness to keep Levi company. He might even manage to draw Levi out of his shell for some mutual flirting.

Levi surprises himself when he accepts an invitation to spend New Year’s Eve with Alex at Alex’s café, but is he ready for more when it means jumping back into life feetfirst? Besides, with an ocean between them and Alex hiding a part of his life that Levi isn’t sure he can handle, they’ll need their own Three Kings’ Day miracle to stay together.

Audio Release Blitz: Change For You by Crystal Lacy (Giveaway)



Buy Links: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Length: 9hrs 34mins

Narrator: Iggy Toma

Cover Design: Simply Defined Art

Publisher: Tantor

Oahu Lovers Series
Book #1 - Brave For You - Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Blurb

Silver fox Stephen Webb doesn't mean to start a workplace fling with the cute new intern.

Stephen Webb has a pivotal tax season ahead of him, and he doesn't have time for distractions. At least that's what he thinks - until Minoru "Max" Kamigawa walks into his life and disrupts all his plans.

Max secretly wants to follow his love of music, but family obligations keep him rooted in Hawaii. Tax supervisor Stephen Webb makes his spring internship a little sweeter, but the man's priorities don't seem to include Max. Is it only a fling or something worth staying for when his dreams come calling?

Stephen and Max must decide whether to stick to their goals or risk everything and change their course for love.

Book Tour: The Ghost Had An Early Checkout by Josh Lanyon (Review, Excerpt + Giveaway)

The Ghost Had an Early Checkout

Sequel to The Ghost Wore Yellow Socks

by Josh Lanyon

Genre: LGBT Mystery

To live and draw in L.A.

Now living in Los Angeles with former navy SEAL Nick Reno, artist Perry Foster comes to the rescue of elderly and eccentric Horace Daly, the legendary film star of such horror classics as Why Won't You Die, My Darling?

Horace owns the famous, but now run-down, Hollywood hotel Angels Rest, rumored to be haunted. But as far as Perry can tell, the scariest thing about Angels Rest is the cast of crazy tenants--one of whom seems determined to bring down the final curtain on Horace--and anyone else who gets in the way.

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Amazon * Apple * Smashwords

EXCERPT:

Blog Tour: Illumined Shadows by G.R Lyons (Guest Post, Exclusive Excerpt + Giveaway)



Simple Loves (with exclusive excerpt!)

G.R. Lyons

I want you to pause right here and think up five simple things that you love. Simple things. Things that don't require effort or cost money. Things that simply are. Can you come up with five of them in just a few seconds?

There was a time when I certainly couldn't do so. Besides being so mired in a series of traumatic events for several years, I was so caught up in this 'race' that is life that I never stopped or even slowed down long enough to appreciate just how much good this world has to offer. It took hitting my own rock bottom to have my eyes opened.

In Illumined Shadows, Colby's life—prior to being rescued—is pretty much the definition of rock bottom. Held captive. Abused. Beaten. Tortured. He can't read or write, and doesn't know that anything exists beyond the four walls of the basements in which he's been held. When Vic finds him, Colby is overwhelmed by the sheer size of the world and all the things in it.

And though he's twenty-one years old, he has the innocence and ignorance of a child, allowing him to discover and appreciate the simple things that normal adults have learned to take for granted. Vic, in particular, has seen so many barbaric things in his career as a missing persons expert that he no longer notices nor takes pleasure in the simple things. His life is all about his work, about the next case, about making up for his past mistakes. He never stops to think that there might be another way to live.

Until Colby comes into his life.

Just like Vic says of Colby, a person who had endured that level of abuse could have so easily turned angry and bitter, hating everything about the world which had abandoned and neglected him. Instead, Colby has an incredible capacity for love, joy, and beauty, marveling at all the wonderful, simple things he discovers once he's free of his captivity: the different colors and textures in Vic's garden, the softness of a puppy's fur, the warmth of a hot bath. In observing Colby exploring simple joys, it makes Vic slow down and start to do the same.

Stop. Slow down. Look around you. I challenge you to find just one simple thing each day, one simple thing that you love about the world or your life. There is so much beauty and wonder to be found in the world, and it's all right there if you just let yourself see it.

I'll leave you with some of my simple loves:

• the smell of onions sauteed in butter
• hot showers
• snapdragons
• the smell of a new book
• being barefoot
• the sight of someone wearing a quirky outfit
• opening all the windows on a warm Spring day
• trees in bloom
• sunshine cutting through the rain
• the swirl of incense smoke
• the softness of a dog's ears
• finding a plot bunny or a plot twist
• rainbows
• the color of a Swiss blue topaz

Release Day Review ~ The Replacement Husband by Eliot Grayson (Link to Prolific Works Giveaway)

Release Day Review ~ The Replacement Husband by Eliot Grayson

Blurb:

Goddess-blessed Owen Honeyfield is destined to enjoy perfect good fortune, and the arrival of handsome and eligible Tom Drake in his country town appears to be just the latest manifestation. Tom’s proposal is the fulfillment of Owen’s desires, but Owen is left heartbroken and at the mercy of Arthur, Tom’s disapproving elder brother, when his betrothal takes a disastrous turn. His reputation ruined and his bright future shattered, Owen must choose between loneliness and practicality.

Arthur Drake has taken responsibility for Tom’s scandalous behavior all their lives. He doesn’t think much of his brother's engagement, knowing that even Owen’s sweetness won’t be enough to influence Tom for the better.  When Tom’s impulsive selfishness threatens to ruin the lives of everyone involved, Arthur has only one honorable choice. He'll need to repair the damage Tom has done and fight for his own happiness, knowing all the while he may never be able to take Tom’s place in Owen’s heart.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43321955-the-replacement-husband

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Replacement-Husband-Eliot-Grayson-ebook/dp/B07MD3K885

Release Day Review ~ His Cursed Prince by Ryan Loveless (Giveaway)

Release Day Review ~ His Cursed Prince by Ryan Loveless

Title: His Cursed Prince

Author: Ryan Loveless

Release Date: December 28, 2018

Category: Fantasy

Pages: 98

Dreamspinner   

Three facts about Tuckington Belle:

1. Given the choice between illegally scaling the royal castle’s walls to steal flowers for a client at his family’s dress shop or going on a date with a girl his brother set him up with (“He’s fertile, and he can sew!”), Tuck will scale the wall like a spider after a fly.

2. If, upon knocking himself unconscious when he falls off the wall, Tuck wakes up bruised, blindfolded, and inside the castle, where—based on the unearthly wails heard nightly—the prince no one has seen in ten years is probably a ghost, Tuck would still choose this over a date with a girl.

3. Tuck thinks it’s time to admit he’s gay.

Three facts about Prince Frederick George Deor (Read and approved with great reluctance by Lord “Protocol is Protocol. Stop Being a Pain About It” Todd):

1. He brought a curse upon himself and now bears the skin of a snake.

2. He can’t take his eyes off the injured thief recovering in the castle.

3. Friendships born from lying and insisting the other person wears a blindfold can blossom into true love—which he needs to break the curse.

DSP Advent Calendar Review ~ Hero For The Holidays by Charles Payseur

DSP Advent Calendar Review ~ Hero For The Holidays by Charles Payseur

Title: Hero for the Holiday
Author: Charles Payseur
Category: Holiday, Advent, Urban Fantasy
Pages: 49

Dreamspinner 

Cody travels from Metro City to the Caribbean island lair of Dr. Devious to look after the place while the supervillain is in space for the holidays… and maybe to mend his broken heart. With Christmas fast approaching, Cody is desperate to avoid reminders of his recent disastrous breakup, and a few weeks of sun and relaxation sound perfect—until a drunk (but very cute) superhero crashes the party by literally crashing onto the beach.

And that’s just the start of Cody’s problems—angry shark-men, mysterious lava creatures, and a malfunctioning AI all make his holiday getaway anything but relaxing. Amid the chaos of his adventures in lair-sitting, though, Cody might find just what he needs—a new chance at love.

Release Day Review ~ Fox and Wolf (Apex Investigations) by Julia Talbot

Release Day Review ~ Fox and Wolf (Apex Investigations) by Julia Talbot

Title: Fox and Wolf

Series: Apex Investigations

Author: Julia Talbot

Release Date: December 28, 2018

Category: Paranormal, Mystery

Pages: 138

Dreamspinner  

Werewolf PI Dylan Weems is a hired to solve the murder of a client’s customer. As an ex-cop, Dylan is the perfect man for the job, but he doesn’t expect the complication of alluring fox shifter Rey.

Ever since finding the dead body of one of his clients, Rey Mercier’s life is a mess, and he needs help desperately. He has no idea why he’s the target of some ruthless people or what he did to anger them. Hopefully Dylan and his motley crew of shifters at Apex Investigations can help him find out, but first Dylan and Rey have to deal with literal corporate tigers and dire crocodiles shifters… all while deciding what to do about the mate bond that’s becoming undeniable. And is that even possible between fox and wolf?

Cover Reveal: Contact by M.D. Neu (Giveaway)

Contact by M.D. Neu 

Available to Preorder at NineStar Press

Release Date: January 21st 

Cover Artist: Natasha Snow

Blurb

A little blue world, the third planet from the sun. It's home to seven billion people—with all manner of faiths, beliefs, and customs, divided by bigotry and misunderstanding—who will soon be told they are not alone in the universe. Anyone watching from the outside would pass by this fractured and tumultuous world, unless they had no other choice. Todd Landon is one of these people, living and working in a section of the world called the United States of America. His life is similar to those around him: home, family, work, friends, and a husband.

On the cusp of the greatest announcement humankind has ever witnessed, Todd’s personal world is thrown into turmoil when his estranged brother shows up on his front porch with news of ships heading for Earth’s orbit. The ships are holding the Nentraee, a humanoid race who have come to Earth in need of help after fleeing the destruction of their homeworld. How will one man bridge the gap for both the Humans and Nentraee, amongst mistrust, terrorist attacks, and personal loss? Will this be the start of a new age of man or will bigotry and miscommunication bring this small world to its knees and final end?

Book Reviews: Out In College Series, Books 1 & 2 by Lane Hayes

Derek Vaughn is a little too serious. He’s a type A control personality with a penchant for order and a love of water polo. But he’s determined to enjoy his last year of college. The real world with a serious job and big expectations can wait for a few months. He’s going soak up every minute on campus with his friends and teammates before he moves on. The only possible kink in his plan is the new guy on the team… also known as his nemesis.

Gabe Chadwick has big Olympic dreams. His transfer between Southern California universities has nothing to do with scholastics. The degree is his backup plan. He’s not there to party or make friends. And he certainly isn’t going to announce his sexuality. But he can’t deny there’s something special about the uptight team captain. However, when an unwitting friendship and mutual attraction collide, both will have to decide if this is the real thing or if they’re about to lose it all in the deep.

Amazon

Release Blitz: His Man by Leah Sharelle (Review)

Title: His Man 

Series: Wounded Souls Novella

Author: Leah Sharelle

Genre: M/M Ex-Military Romance

Release Date: December 27, 2018

FORD

Ford had a pretty good life.

He was part of a former elite commando team, a talented computer genius, and a member of the Wounded Souls MC. He had a real family with his brothers, their women, and kids. Life was good. Well, it would be except for one big sexy issue—a tall helicopter pilot with a mouth and body made for sin. Lucky didn’t know it yet, but Ford was coming for him.

LUCKY

After the horrific shooting at the FOB while on deployment, Lucky took the medical discharge the army offered and ran back to the only place he was accepted just as himself. The Wounded Souls MC. After years of being a part-time member, he was now out of the army and healed, ready to do his bit. The only obstacle in his way was in the form of the club’s computer expert and go-to babysitter. His only hope of staying away from Ford and out of his bed was Lucky’s fiancée. But one look at his former lover had Lucky thinking maybe it was time to dig deep for some courage and finally reveal his true feelings, not only to his blood family but to the man who’d captured his heart and refused to give it back.

Did he want it back? Could he finally stand up to his powerful family and admit he wanted to be Ford’s man?

Release Blitz: Ta Weezo's Blues by Layla Dorine (Review+Excerpt+Giveaway)

Title: Ta Weezo's Blues

Author: Layla Dorine

Publisher: NineStar Press

Release Date: December 24, 2018

Heat Level: 3 - Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 24800

Genre: Paranormal, college, professor, student, shapeshifter, teacher’s pet, poet, author, ferret shifter

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Synopsis

Sabre never had any intentions of becoming the teacher’s pet. In fact, most of his school years have been spent trying to avoid attention. The scar that mars his cheek has made him wary of strangers, their questions and prying eyes leave him feeling exposed in ways he’s uncomfortable with. Accustomed to blending in, he lurks around the shadows in the back of classrooms, turning in exemplary work but rarely taking part in discussions.

Professor Locklear’s Native lit class is different though. Sabre’s interest in the subject matter, coupled with a dedicated scholar’s need to turn in the best work possible, leads him to seek out a more advanced reading list, much to the delight of Professor Locklear. When he comes across Sabre reading material beyond even the advanced list, Professor Locklear invites on a fieldtrip to a nearby village. Along the way he learns more than just the knowledge contained in the books. He learns about trust and discovers that there are others out there just like him— shapeshifters.

What he believed was an individual anomaly turns out to be something beyond legend and lore, a whole different culture he’d never known existed. The only way he can move forward is to let his shields down long enough to trust the man whose conversations he’s come to enjoy, but to do that, he’ll have to stop distancing himself from everyone.

DSP Advent Calendar Review: Purrfect Holiday by Jana Denardo

Title: Purrfect Holiday
Author: Jana Denardo
Category: Holiday, Advent
Pages: 46

Dreamspinner Press


Tony Gatti had his life planned: get his veterinarian license and go to work with his dad and uncle. Soon after achieving his goals, he learned the shadows and blurriness in his vision went beyond needing glasses. Retinitis Pigmentosa is a genetic mutation with no cure. With his sight almost gone, he moves into his grandmother’s St. Augustine, Florida home with his guide dog, Raven, to start life over. Nonna Concetta thinks she knows the perfect job for him. Her vet is looking for someone to destress the cats at a local rescue.

Javier didn’t plan to hire a cute former veterinarian to fill the role of cat cuddler, but Tony couldn’t be more perfect. Worried his attraction is inappropriate and knowing the holiday season always depresses him, Javier wonders if he should ask Tony out, or if he'd just be spreading the gloom to someone who already has enough of his own. But if he takes the plunge, could it turn out to be the best holiday ever?

Release Day Review: Forever & Ever - A Collection of Stories by Tere Michaels (Giveaway)

Title: Forever & Ever - A Collection of Stories
Series: Faith, Love & Devotion: Book 7
Author: Tere Michaels
Release Date: December 25, 2018
Category: Holiday
Pages: 250

Dreamspinner Press


What happens after the story ends?

Join Matt, Evan, Jim, Griffin, and their friends and families for a glimpse of what happens after happily ever after. Between growing up and growing pains, weddings and retirement, changing careers and changing diapers, life is never boring. Changes, decisions, tears, and joy await as the years march on.