Bayou Book Junkie: Blog Tour: Fight for It: The Blueridge Junction Boys by A.D. Ellis (Review + Giveaway)

Wednesday, October 4, 2017

Blog Tour: Fight for It: The Blueridge Junction Boys by A.D. Ellis (Review + Giveaway)

NO ONE SAID LOVE WAS EASY. WILL THEY FIGHT FOR IT?

Title: Fight for It: The Blueridge Junction Boys

Series: The Blueridge Junction Boys 1

Release Date: October 3rd, 2017

Publisher: A.D. Ellis Publishing

Genres: Male/male romance

What inspired A.D. Ellis to write Fight for It: The Blueridge Junction Boys

The Blueridge Junction Boys came about because of a couple different things.

First, I was playing with a small town called Blueridge. In my head, the three main characters were the Blueridge Boys. But, a thought struck me out of the blue that The BJ Boys would be so perfect as a little play on words in a male/male romance. So, I added Junction because of the railroad going through Blueridge. Voila! The Blueridge Junction Boys series was born and The BJ Boys became the official nickname.

As far as the stories for each individual book, I knew I wanted to play up some of my favorite tropes. Fight For It is the story of Micah and Cole. Micah is out, but Cole is not so I got to have fun writing a mechanic and teacher in this out-for-you story.

Can’t Fight It is the story of Levi and Jay (coming late October/early November.) This is one of my favorite tropes with opposites attract and May/December romance.

Bound to Fight is Cody and Kennedy’s story (coming mid to late November.) This has a leather daddy and enemies to lovers theme and I’m loving it!

I’m a sucker for all of these tropes. Set them in a small town and it’s even better.

So, this series was inspired by what I love to read and a funny little play on words. I love how it’s grown into such a satisfying world of characters and stories for me as a writer.

Micah is a small-town mechanic with a big-time dream. He’s found his soulmate in high school social studies teacher Coleman Pierce, but while Micah’s out and proud of it, Coleman’s closet door is closed, locked, and welded shut. Stolen nights are all they’ll ever have, unless Micah can find some way to convince Cole that coming out won’t be the end of his dreams.

Cole moved to Blueridge Junction to escape his past. He planned to make himself a new life, far from home and the betrayal he’d suffered there. He wasn’t going to make the same mistakes again, but he didn’t count on meeting Micah, or the intensity of the feelings the man arouses in him.

But Micah is out and Cole… isn’t. And while Micah definitely revs his engines, Cole isn’t going to risk his job or his newly minted future on a relationship that might not work out. When outside forces bear upon the couple, Cole is faced with a decision. Will he keep his secret and risk losing everything, including the man he loves? Or will he stand with Micah and fight for their future?

*Fight for It is a male/male romance meant for ages 18+ due to language, themes, and adult scenes.*

Amazon

“Well, hello there, Mr. Pierce.” Jay Owen’s perched next to me at the bar where I was waiting on my to-go order.

I’d met Jay through Cody, the owner of BJ’s Burgers & Beer where I got seventy-five percent of my meals. A lot of people in town were friendly, welcoming, and perfectly nice. But, somehow, I had managed to land mostly gay men in the majority of my new friends. Birds of a feather, I guess.

“Hi, Jay. And call me Cole. Mr. Pierce seems sort of creepy the way you say it.” I was only slightly joking.

“It’s supposed to,” Jay drawled and winked. “No, but seriously, where’s your car? I’ve seen you walking lately.”

“It’s in the shop. Broke down on the last trip back from my old place.” I checked the time. I had nowhere to be, but chit-chat with Jay rarely stayed neutral.

“Micah’s working on your car?” Jay’s eyes bugged out.

“Yeah, why?”

“Just, if Micah was working on my car, I’d be over there from open until close watching.” Jay bit his lip.

“You don’t have a car, Jay.” I rolled my eyes and tried to change the subject.

“Elementary, my dear. You totally know what I mean.” Jay fanned himself. “Mmm, just think of Micah all sweaty. Pulling those coveralls down to his waist. Bending over that car just like he’d bend over you.”

“Whoa, okay. Calm down there before you work yourself into a froth.”

Cody came over and plopped down my to-go bag. He handed Jay a bag as well. “Here, made too many fries. You can take them.”

Jay smiled and grabbed the bag. “Thanks, Papa Bear.”

“Call me that again and I’ll take them back.” Cody flipped/flicked? a towel at Jay.

Out on the sidewalk, Jay and I sauntered toward the park.

“You’ve got to know that Micah is like majorly hot for you, right?” Jay asked around a mouthful of fries.

“No. He’s not. And, even if he was, it wouldn’t matter. I’m not looking.” The lies rolled from my tongue easier each time I said them.

“Girl, you keep telling yourself that all you want, but I’m telling you. Micah Edwards is totally hot for Cole Pierce.” Jay teased. “It’s like fate. You end up teaching here. Your car breaks down. Hot-as-sin Micah Edwards comes to rescue you in his big truck. Mmm, I’d let him hoist me up and tow me anywhere he wants.”

“Dude, chill out. Micah doesn’t like me. I don’t like Micah. I’m not looking for anything in the romance department. My job is what’s important to me.” We had almost reached the park. I’d go one way and Jay would, hopefully, go his own way.

“Only having your job to fulfill you is a sad and lonely way to live. You need friends and love. And sex. Lots of sex.” Jay gave a dramatic sigh.

“I’m making friends. I love my job. And sex is overrated.” Lies, lies, lies.

“Then you’re not having it right,” Jay quipped.

“Yeah? Who are you having sex with?” I challenged in hopes of changing the subject.

“Me?” Jay put a hand to his chest. “Ladies don’t kiss and tell, but I’ll have you know I’m saving myself for the right person.”

I couldn’t help the look of shock on my face. Glancing around, I whispered, “You’re a virgin?”

Jay sobered quickly. “Yeah, but can you keep that quiet? I have a reputation to uphold.”

3.5 Stars

Reading the blurb I was very excited to get to this story, but it didn’t quite work for me.

The writing is good and I loved the premise of the story, but for me, the story didn’t work and I think perhaps some of it is just me and my particular tastes. I can’t stand pushy characters and although I knew that Cole wanted to be with Micah, Micah was way too pushy. I guess I just don’t understand why you’d want to push yourself on someone who is clearly avoiding you. It makes you come off as desperate and kind of an ass and because of this, Micah annoyed me and I kind of wanted to smack him.

I understood that Micah thought it would be safe for Cole to come out and still keep his job, but I thought he should have had more respect and understanding for Cole’s feelings.

The story was very instalove and sometimes that works: Not so much here, it didn’t come off as believable. Micah and Cole have hooked up anonymously a few times and then they go away for one weekend and bam! Love!! It was too fast. I wanted them to really get to know one another better first.

What I did love about the story was the close friendships between Micah, Cody and Levi. They were best friends and supported and accepted each other. They were there for one another no matter what. I also loved Jay. He was sweet, yet sassy and snarky and he tells it like it is.

What I would have loved to have seen was for Micah and Cole to have a bit of breathing room to get to know one another without all the background noise. But what we did get of them together as a couple was hot and they had good chemistry.

While I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I have some of the author's other works, it was not a bad read and I’m sure many will love it. It just wasn’t for me.

*copy provided by author/publisher in exchange for an honest review*

Amazon $5 gift card

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/6d41b92d135/

A.D. Ellis spends the majority of her days loving and wrangling two school-aged children and a husband before heading to the inner city of Indiana to teach a challenging group of alternative education students in grades third through sixth. Most days she hits the gym after school in hopes of running and lifting away the stress and headaches of the day before picking up her children and squeezing a whole day’s worth of loving and living into the too-short hours before bed. It’s no wonder Ms. Ellis lives for the slower, easier days she gets to enjoy on breaks from school.

Growing up in a small farming town in southern Indiana, A.D. is grateful to her mother for passing along the love of reading. With her nose constantly stuck in a book, Ms. Ellis became accustomed to friends and acquaintances snickering and shaking their heads at her love of reading.

A.D. never dreamed of being anything but a teacher, although there are certain times of the year when she laments her career choice. Ms. Ellis had a story idea floating in her head for about a year. After persistent prodding from a friend, A.D. put pen to paper and began writing her first story in October 2013. From that moment on, she was hooked. Taking the people and stories from her head and sharing them with readers is a scary, exhausting, rewarding, and fulfilling experience which A.D. plans to continue until there are no more stories banging around in her mind.

A.D. Ellis’ work can be found on both iBooks and Amazon. Please contact her on Facebook, Twitter, or her website.