Book Review: All Mine by Parker Avrile

All Mine: A Second Chance Gay Romance

Author: Parker Avrile

Genre: M/M Contemporary Romance

Length: Novel, 168 pages (50,000 words)

Publication Date: Jan. 18, 2016

Heat Level: Three flames (some language and adult situations)

GoodReads ~ Amazon ~ Print Copy

Author Website

Blurb:

A second chance steamy gay romance about two men in a custody dispute over a happy dog who sees no reason they can't all be together.

The student Justin couldn't save is now a man.

As a first-year teacher, former basketball star Justin couldn't rescue Corey from his at-risk background. But he's determined to do something right. He signed a contract promising this abandoned Golden Retriever a forever home, and he's going to keep that promise.

When Corey's Golden is stolen by a vengeful ex, he hunts high and low to find her. But he's a day late and a dollar short. Of all the people in this town who could have adopted his dog, why did it have to be a straight arrow like Justin, the secret star of Corey's hottest man-on-man fantasies?

Justin says he's not surrendering his adopted dog, but he agrees to let Corey make supervised visits. Fine. Corey will bide his time, prove he's a responsible dog owner, and win Justin's trust long enough to steal her back.

The trouble is, the more time they spend together, the less Corey feels like grabbing the Golden and making a run for it. She thinks Justin is a good guy, and he's starting to think so too. But will their small town accept the blossoming relationship between a teacher and a former student?

This fast-moving male/male romance novel features the frank language and steamy situations you'd expect between two athletic men in their twenties. It comes complete with a Happily Ever After. There are absolutely NO cheating incidents or cliffhangers involved in the making of this sometimes sexy, sometimes sweet story of a romance between two gay men who both claim the same dog.

Review: Cherry Pie by Samantha Kane (Exclusive Giveaway)

Review: Cherry Pie (Mercury Rising Book 1) by Samantha Kane (Exclusive Giveaway)

Cherry Pie (Mercury Rising Book 1) by Samantha Kane

Date of Publication: September 16, 2014

Blurb

You can go home again—if you can get a foot in the door.

Mercury Rising, Book 1

A year after packing and moving from L.A. to Mercury, North Carolina, John Ford still hasn't adjusted to the heat. Or to life without his long-time partner. As he fixes up the old house he bought, the quiet becomes his only companion, and he's content with that—until a deep-voiced stranger plants himself under a tree across the street.

Eight years ago, Connor Meecham left someone behind in that house—himself. Now he's back to find the man he used to be, before drugs and prison sent his life careening off the tracks. But it's not his mother's face peering through the window any more. It's a man who seems as lost as Conn himself.

When John learns what the house—and the dying town—mean to Conn, he finds himself opening the door to his heart. Just a crack. But it's enough to get mixed up in a world of emotions as complicated as the recipe for the perfect cherry pie. Where one misstep can turn something sweet and juicy into one hot mess.

Warning: Contains a guitar-wielding, brooding Southern boy and a reclusive millionaire with a weakness for cherry pie and hot coffee. Excessive porch sittin' and lemonade included.

Available From

Amazon (Kindle)     B&N (Nook)      Kobo

Review Tour: Painted On My Heart by Kindle Alexander ~ (Reviews + Giveaway)

Review Tour: Painted On My Heart by Kindle Alexander ~ (Reviews + Giveaway)

Title: Painted On My Heart

Author: Kindle Alexander

Genre: M/M Romance

Release Date: January 2, 2017

Artist Kellus Hardin let love and loyalty cloud his past decisions, a mistake he definitely won’t make again. Now, lost and alone, he’s left to pick up the shattered pieces of his broken heart while facing the truth of his reality. 

Arik Layne exudes power, confidence, and determination. But when an encounter with the guarded artist shakes him to the core and alters all his future goals, he finds more than just his heart on the line. 

For Kellus, opening himself to love isn’t an option. 

All Arik wants is to make the artist his. 

Can love create a masterpiece when it’s painted on your heart?

Release Day Review ~ The Applicant by Aidee Ladnier

Release Day Review ~ The Applicant by Aidee Ladnier

Title: The Applicant

Series: Busted Labs: Book One

Author: Aidee Ladnier

Release Date: January 11, 2017

Category: Time Travel

Pages: TBD (Novella)

Dreamspinner  Amazon  Goodreads

How can something so cuddly and adorable be so destructive? The teddy bear robot decimating his lab is only the first disaster of the day for roboticist Forbes Pohle. If he can figure out how to end its rampage, he still has to interview applicants for the position of research assistant and convince the time traveler on his doorstop that they should be making their future right now.

Oliver Lennox didn’t travel back in time to have a quickie in the blast chamber—but it certainly is fun. This younger Forbes is a sweeter, more innocent version of his lover. And it will be hard to leave him behind in the past.

If you like sexy nerds, humor, plenty of action, and a love story not even time can disrupt, this romantic adventure has the perfect credentials for the job.

First Edition published as The Applicant (or Virgins, Robot Bears, and Other Disasters) by Torquere Press, 2012.

Release Day Review ~ Volley Balls by Tara Lain

Release Day Review ~ Volley Balls by Tara Lain

Title: Volley Balls

Series: Balls to the Wall

Author: Tara Lain

Release Date: January 11, 2017

Category: Contemporary, M/M/M or More

Pages: 101 (Novella)

Dreamspinner   Amazon  Goodreads

A double dose of alpha male might be better than one.

Despite just getting out of an abusive relationship with an asshole alpha, David Underwood’s wandering glance lands on two hot members of the Australian volleyball team on Laguna Beach and gets him harassed again. Still, when the delicious Gareth Marshall proves his interest by coming out to his team, David succumbs to his attraction. But Gareth’s volleyball partner, Edge, who’s equally hot, makes the lovers’ lives miserable.

For Gareth, a lifetime of hiding his orientation—and his attraction—from his best friend, Edge, as well as everyone else around him, adds up to hurt and frustration. David’s the first man to ever compete with Edge for Gareth’s passion. But Edge has secrets of his own, and David’s ex-lover will never be happy without David under his fist. With everything stacked against him, can a gay Laguna man find happiness with an alpha male–or two?

A "pumped up" version of the Volley Balls story, twice as long as the original.

First Edition published by Etopia Press, 2011.

Release Day Review: Wanted, A Gentleman by KJ Charles

Release Day Review: Wanted, A Gentleman by KJ Charles

London 1805. Jobbing writer, proprietor of the Matrimonial Advertiser lonely hearts gazette, and all-round weasel Theo Swann is just trying to get by when Martin St. Vincent turns up. Martin is a merchant, tasked with putting a stop to a wealthy young heiress’s romantic correspondence in the Advertiser. And when she and her swain make a dash for Gretna, Martin drags Theo after him on a breakneck high-speed (fourteen miles an hour!) chase up the country to catch the lovers before it’s too late. The question is, as entanglements, deceptions, and revelations come thick and fast, will any of them be the same again?

Buy Links: 

Amazon

Riptide Publishing

Release Day Review ~ There Has To Be A Reason by Kate McMurray

Release Day Review ~ There Has To Be A Reason by Kate McMurray

Title: There Has to Be a Reason

Author: Kate McMurray

Release Date: January 9, 2017

Category: Contemporary

Pages: 206

Dreamspinner   Goodreads

Dave is enjoying his junior year at a big New England university, even if none of his relationships have been especially satisfying. He plans to hang around with his best friend Joe and focus on his studies until he graduates, and then he’ll figure out the rest.
Meeting Noel changes his plans.

Noel is strikingly beautiful and unlike anyone Dave knows. Something about Noel draws Dave to him—an attraction Dave doesn’t feel ready to label. And even if he was, why would Noel be interested in Dave? And what about Joe? He hates Noel and everything he represents, and he might hate Dave if he finds out about Dave’s secret desires. So Dave will have to keep those feelings hidden—along with his relationship with Noel.

But Noel has fought too hard for his identity to be Dave’s dirty secret. Will Dave tell the truth and risk the life he’s always known… or live a lie and risk losing the love of his life?

Release Day Review ~ Block and Strike by Kelly Jensen

Release Day Review ~ Block and Strike by Kelly Jensen

Title: Block and Strike
Author: Kelly Jensen
Release Date: January 6, 2017
Category: Contemporary
Pages: 266

Dreamspinner ~ GoodReads 

Blurb:

Jacob Kendricks is three months out of prison, estranged from his daughter, and ready to get his life on track. Taking care of the bum curled up on his doorstep isn’t part of the plan. When he realizes the man has been assaulted, Jake takes him to the hospital, where he learns that Max is his downstairs neighbor… and that he could really use a friend. Keeping Max in the friend-zone would be easier if he wasn’t so damned cute.

Maxwell Wilson has been bullied for years, and the only person who ever cared lives too far away to come to his rescue. Now his upstairs neighbor is offering support. Max remains cautious, suspecting he is little more than a project for the handsome Jake. When he learns Jake has had boyfriends as well as girlfriends, Max has to reevaluate his priorities—and muster the courage to take a chance at love.

Just when a happy future is within their grasp, life knocks them back down. A devastating blow leaves Max lower than ever and Jake wrestling with regret. They both have to find the strength to stand on their own before they can stand together.

Book Reviews: Perfect Game by Casey Cameron

Book: Perfect Game
Author: Casey Cameron
Release Date: January 1, 2017

 GoodReads ~  Amazon

Blurb:

"Hate the player, love the game…or was that the other way around?”

Research biologist Neil Parkinson had to give up a lot in pursuit of his Ph.D–his friends, his music, his home town–but the one thing he managed to hang on to was Legendary Pairs, the hyper-competitive collectible card game that has propelled so many nerds just like him to fame and fortune. With a new job in a new city, loneliness drives him out of his apartment and into The Ogre’s Den–a haven for local players, amateur and pro alike. Neil never aspired to be a professional gamer, but that was before he met Robin.

“Why even play, if you don’t play to win?”

Robin Abboud is cocky, brash, argumentative…and absolutely gorgeous. He may be a lowly caterer with a crappy car, but this game is the one place where he’s a top dog, and boy does he know it. Robin’s end-game goal is to play in the Legendary Pairs Pro Tour; he’s got the skill to do it, and from the moment he meets Neil, he’s convinced Neil does too. His flirty bravado gets under Neil’s skin like nothing else, but he runs so hot-and-cold that Neil can’t figure out if the two of them are competitors, friends…or something more.

“Don’t tell me this is just a game to you. I know better.”

When Robin convinces Neil to join him on a road trip to a major tournament, there’s more on the line than just the cash prize. Even as the two of them clash on the field of the tournament, Neil’s feelings for Robin are growing impossible to ignore. But could Robin ever feel the same way? The longer they spend together, the more Neil risks showing his whole hand. Is a perfect match in the cards for these two, or will their in-game rivalry tear them apart?

Perfect Game is a 25,000 word stand-alone romance novella with lots of heat, deliciously nerdy sweetness, and a happily-ever-after ending with no cliffhangers.

Double Re-Release: Felice Stevens and Riley Hart ~ (Reviews)

Double Re-Release: Felice Stevens and Riley Hart ~ (Reviews)

DOUBLE RE-RELEASE

FELICE STEVENS

“PLEASE DON’T GO”

&

RILEY HART

“DARE YOU TO”

M/M ROMANCE

01.05.17

FELICE STEVENS

“PLEASE DON’T GO”

COVER DESIGN: REESE DANTE

AMAZON GLOBAL: http://authl.it/6le

BLURB

Danny Friedman knows all about loss. His father left to start a new family and now that his mother passed away, he's even more certain love is only temporary. People always disappoint him in the end, a lesson he learned years ago when his summer camp best friend and secret crush disappeared without a trace, never to be heard from again. Until now.

Fifteen years ago, Paul Merola left everything behind when he ran away with his mother to escape his abusive father. He lived life on the run for years, but never forgot his best friend, Danny. When his job transfers him to the New York City office, the past collides with the present, as Paul finds himself face to face with Danny, who works there as well. To Paul's dismay, a reluctant Danny makes it clear he has little desire to rekindle their friendship.

Despite Danny's desire to learn what happened all those years ago, he refuses to fall victim to Paul's charm, fearing he's being used to get ahead. Paul, finally secure enough to stay and put down roots, must convince Danny that there is more to them than a broken promise. Not only does he want to be friends again, he wants love. He wants forever. And he wants it all with Danny.

This story first appeared in the It Was Always You Anthology. It has been re-edited and expanded by approximately 5,000 words.

Review Tour: Analog to Digital by Posy Roberts ~ (Review + Giveaway)

Review Tour: Analog to Digital by Posy Roberts ~ (Review + Giveaway)

Length: 13,655

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Dreamspinner | AllRomance | B&N | KOBO 

Blurb

All Ethan wants for Christmas, and the rest of his life, is Toby.

For years, Ethan and Toby have said they’ll never marry, despite Ethan’s secret wishes. So leaving sunny California for snowy Minnesota to witness his sister’s vow renewal is not how he wants to spend his Christmas Eve. It’s the second time she’ll say “I do” in less than a year, when Ethan saying those words to Toby even once is hopeless. 

In the run-up to the ceremony, Toby seems to avoid Ethan, and doubts grow in his absence. Ethan can’t help noticing Toby spends more time with Ethan’s family than with him. Little does Ethan know, Toby has desires of his own. But if Toby doesn’t find a way to reveal them, Ethan could leave for home without him.

Release Day Review ~ Vespar by Thianna Durston

Release Day Review ~ Vespar by Thianna Durston

Title: Vespar

Series: Order of the Black Knights: Book Three

Author: Thianna Durston

Release Date: January 4, 2017

Category: Mystery/Suspense, Fantasy: Urban Fantasy

Pages: 200

Dreamspinner    Goodreads

Special-ops-turned-professional-killer Vespar McKauley is hired to take out Marcolm Rogers, son of his employer’s worst enemy. But Marc isn’t like any hit he’s ever done. He’s just twenty-one, he goes to a private university studying English Lit, and for fun, he plays computer games with his friends. No drugs, no partying, no crime. The day Vespar bumps into Marc and looks into his azure eyes, the world drops out from under him.

With his father in the Chicago crime syndicate, Marc and his mom have stayed out of the limelight, hiding from those who might harm them. He figures he’s safe at a small liberal arts university, all the way across the country. But midway through his senior year, he feels eyes on him and the shadows encroaching. Just as he’s about to run, he meets Vespar and experiences an instant attraction. When Vespar tells him he’s in danger and offers to protect him, Marc wants to believe him. But he’s been hunted before, and this time he isn’t sure he’ll get away. Especially when he finds out he is Vespar’s target.

Release Day Review ~ I Love You More Than Pierogi by K.A. Merikan

Release Day Review ~ I Love You More Than Pierogi by K.A. Merikan

Title: I Love You More Than Pierogi

Author: K.A. Merikan

Release Date: January 4, 2017

Category: Contemporary, World of Love

Pages: 101

Dreamspinner  Goodreads

Marek and Adrian dated in high school, but a bitter breakup led them to choose different paths. Adrian is out and proud while Marek is in the closet. Adrian embraces his eccentricity while Marek clings to a conservative image. And while Marek worked hard to build a successful life and financial stability by climbing the corporate ladder, Adrian threw caution to the wind and has spent the last five years backpacking across the world.

Now Adrian is back in Warsaw, Poland, but while Marek thinks they will have a hookup and have a blast from the past, Adrian is just looking for a place to crash. Worse still, Adrian turns up at Marek’s advertising agency for help with his outrageous new business venture, and if Marek wants to get promoted, he might have to work with the guy who broke his heart.

World of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the globe.

Book Review ~ The Road Home by Elsa Winters and Brad Vance

Title: The Road Home
Authors: Elsa Winters & Brad Vance
Release Date: December 25, 2016
Length: 183 pages
GoodReads ~ Amazon

Blurb:

"I’m your friend, Andrew. I think I’m the only friend you’ve got." 

Nick Carpenter grew up in the foster system after watching his parents die in a car crash. Now, he's finally found a place for himself as an EMT. Partnered with a gruff but very competent paramedic as his first assignment in Seattle, he figures that it's best to keep this working relationship strictly professional, even if Andrew is hot as hell.

"You let the patient talk, Nick, because sooner or later they’ll probably tell you what you need to know." 

Andrew Hazard loves his job, even if he gets paired with a different EMT every couple weeks. Once an EMT proves himself incompetent, Andrew makes no effort to be friends with them. That's why it's such a relief when Nick comes along. He keeps the ambulance stocked, he can drive well, and he knows how to start an IV. He's great at saving lives, and also a great person to hang out with. From hiking to movies, they find themselves spending a lot of time with each other. Nick's homosexuality definitely isn't a problem, even though Andrew's girlfriend jokes that he wants to spend more time with Nick than with her.

"You wanna go on an adventure?" 

When Andrew gets the chance of a lifetime - going to the prestigious UCLA Medical School - his girlfriend doesn't share his enthusiasm. And so, freshly broken up, Andrew asks Nick to go with him on a road trip down south to check out the area. Nick wants to keep him as his best friend, even though his romantic feelings have reached a fever pitch. But he also realizes that this could be his last chance to let Andrew know how he feels. Will Andrew let Nick into his heart, or will this road trip be their last hurrah? 

Excerpt:

AotM ~ Aimee Nicole Walker ~ Book Review: Only You (Giveaway)

Hello everyone! Happy New Year! One of the changes we decided to implement this year at Bayou Book Junkie is choosing an Author of the Month, featuring their books throughout the month and to make things more interesting, we'll be including some giveaways, too. 

Our first Author of the Month is Aimee Nicole Walker, who is best known for her Fated Hearts series and more recently for her Curl Up and Dye mystery series, as well as the recently released collaboration with Nicholas Bella, Undisputed.  

If you would like to learn more about Aimee Nicole, we invite you to read our In the Spotlight with Bayou Book Junkie interview where she graciously answered all our burning questions. You can also connect with her using the links below her Author Bio, not only is she a very talented author, but she's also a lovely person and very approachable to her fans and readers. 

Only You by Aimee Nicole Walker

Blurb:

Two completely different men and one powerful attraction.

Sebastian Blake is a cynical, self-made billionaire who has only known rejection and abandonment in his personal life. Adam Johnson is a closeted gay man who works for the law firm representing Sebastian in a civil lawsuit filed against him by a former employee.

The attraction between the men is immediate and intense, but neither of them wants a relationship. Sebastian makes an offer that Adam can’t refuse and they agree to have a purely sexual arrangement.

Passions ignite and their hearts refuse to be ignored, but...

Release Day Review ~ The Virgin Manny by Amy Lane

Release Day Review ~ The Virgin Manny by Amy Lane

Title: The Virgin Manny

Series: The Mannies

Author: Amy Lane

Release Date: January 1, 2016

Category: Contemporary, Dreamspun Desires

Pages: 228

Dreamspinner  Goodreads

Growing up and falling in love...

Sometimes family is a blessing and a curse. When Tino Robbins is roped into helping his sister deliver her premade Italian dinners when he should be studying for finals, he’s pretty sure it’s the latter! But one delivery might change everything.

Channing Lowell’s charmed life changes when his sister dies and leaves him her seven-year-old son. He’s committed to doing what’s best for Sammy… but he’s going to need a lot of help. When Tino lands on his porch, Channing is determined to recruit him to Team Sammy.

Tino plans to make his education count—even if that means avoiding a relationship—but as he falls harder and harder for his boss, he starts to wonder: Does he have to leave his newly forged family behind in order to live his promising tomorrow?

Release Blitz ~ Revived by Kora Knight (Review)

Title: Revived Series: The Dungeon Black Duology (Book 2)

It's LIVE On Amazon

12/30/2016

Title: Revived

Series: The Dungeon Black Duology (Book 2)

Author: Kora Knight

Live NOW on Amazon

Cover Artist: Jay Aheer

Synopsis

Love.

The most powerful force in existence, but also the most ruthless. Cunning and deceptive.Man’s greatest Achilles heel. Leaving all who embrace it weak and vulnerable. At least that’s how Dom-for-hire Max Kelley sees it, after the love of his life knocked him on his ass. A brutal blow that not only stole his breath, but decimated his ability to trust. Turning him cold and cynical. The TKO he never saw coming.

Love.

A mistake Max won’t ever make again. Meaning no more relationships—not exactly a hardship. Just the thought of dating makes him queasy, and one of the reasons he doms for a living. To sexually engage without the poison of intimacy. The other reason? To keep his demons sated. With whips and chains, and scandalous kink. A fiery mix that always hits the spot.

That is, until a bright-eyed beauty walks into his life and refuses to leave. Sean Matthews. College senior and flirt extraordinaire. Max’s newest—and greenest—client sub. Man, is he delicious; able to push Max’s buttons, able to make him crave the things he knows he shouldn’t. Sound the alarm, this can only mean trouble. Unfortunately, deterring Sean proves virtually impossible, and now Max finds himself at a crossroads. Man up and kick his favorite sub to the curb… or succumb to his own caged desires.

Warning: This erotic, gay, BDSM romance contains intensely explicit sexual scenes both inside and out of the dungeon. ** Note from the author: In keeping with the promise I made to my Upending Tad devotees, I've included a small side story with Tad and Scott in book 2 where we delve a bit further into the developments of their relationship, and all the wonderful ways they've been keeping each other's hearts pounding. So, be prepared for a few more character point of views! Tad and Scott aren't going anywhere. They'll be around for the long haul. XXO

*•.¸(*•.¸(´*•.¸(*•.¸¸.•*´)¸.•*´)¸.•*´)¸.•*´