Virtual Tour: M/M ~ Crest Ridge by A.L. Boyd ~ (ARC Review, Author Interview + Giveaway)
Book Information:
PUBLISHER: Self-Published (Anna Larson)
RELEASE DATE: July 1st, 2015
TITLE: Crest Ridge
AUTHOR: A.L. BoyGENRE: Contemporary
TAGS: police, actor, closeted,
HEAT LEVEL (1 being no sexual content, 5 being erotica): low- no more than a 3
PAIRING: M/M
LENGTH: 38,000 words
BOOK LINKS :
It was supposed to be their big night! The opening of their movie premier. Robert Owens boyfriend abandoned him, and brought another date. Humiliated, Rob left Los Angeles, and moved to a quiet ranch in rural New Mexico only to face his high school bully Dane Johnson.
Rob never expected his high school tormentor to show up at his new home, but there the man was ordering him to evacuate from an oncoming wildfire. After Rob returned to his ranch, Dane offered an apology, and an explanation of his past actions. Rob has to decide if the bully he once knew has changed his ways. Will they overcome their past and find a new start?
Mari's Review:
Robert Owens finds out on the way to his latest movie's premiere that his boyfriend is bringing a date with him. Not wanting to deal with the aftermath of his ex-lover's betrayal, he decides to go on the vacation he had already planned to the ranch he just bought in New Mexico. Only the peace and quiet he had hoped to find there are interrupted by a fire, and then by Dane Johnson, his former high school nemesis and now a deputy at the small town where Rob's ranch is in. Turns out Dane has been keeping a secret his whole life, and that his actions when they were younger were brought by him trying to hide his attraction for Rob. He asks Rob for a second chance at being friends and maybe more, but he's not ready to be out and proud, and he's not sure he'll ever be.
Robert and Dane are cute together, they take things very slowly, which all things considered turned out to be a good thing. Robert is understanding and loving and doesn't push Dane into giving him more than he can and ultimately that works great for them. I loved that even if Dane wasn't ready for most of the story to come out, once it really mattered, he threw caution to the wind and just gave in. I also loved that his big secret, wasn't much of one in the end.
The story is pretty good, flows nicely, there's sweetness, intrigue and suspense with a plot twist that I didn't quite see coming. The secondary characters really add up to the story, Dane's aunt and his coworkers especially, same as Rob's driver. All in all, a solid, entertaining read.
Rating: 4.5 Stars.
Author Interview:
What do you do when you aren’t writing?
I have a full time job as a GIS specialist with a county government. Basically, I make maps all day long and write in my free time. My free time, though, is split between my horses, my garden, my crochet, and even the volunteer editing. For the past three years, I’ve volunteered to help edit the stories for the Goodreads M/M Romance group writing event.
What got you interested in writing?
The first thing I wrote was a memoir about one of my horses. I owned a special horse who died and haunted my dreams until I bought a newborn foal that has become his replacement. I wrote his story as a way of helping me deal with his death. My volunteer work with the Goodreads group is the reason I started writing M/M Romance. My first year of editing, I came across a prompt that had been abandoned multiple times. I started dreaming up parts of the story even while someone else was trying to write for the prompt. Finally, the prompt had been abandoned yet again, and I already had a portion of it written in my head, so I claimed it. I didn’t have a great deal of time to finish the story, so it wasn’t as complete as I’d have liked. I later wrote the expansion story Crest Ridge as a result.
Are you currently working on any new books?
I just finished the short story, The Dawn Of Darkness for the M/M Romance writing event this year. I wasn’t going to write a story this year, but someone posted the perfect prompt for me: A dressage rider. I couldn’t skip an opportunity to write about horses. The story was posted to the Goodreads group on June first, and is now available for free to download. I also have three different story ideas, two that are related and may either be one long novel, or two shorter novellas about a pair of brothers. Those two involve a bit of time travel and a bit of mystery. I’m also thinking about a fantasy plot line based on a couple pieces of art work I found on Pinterest. That one is still in the deciding if it will work stage though.
What is one thing you can’t live without?
I’m a horse addict. I love my horses so much that I even told my hubby once, “If you and my horse get hurt at the same time, you’ll need to find your own way to the hospital, because I’m taking care of my horse first.” That was way back when I first met him, and he asked to borrow my favorite horse. He must have approved, since he’s stuck with me and my horses for the past twenty-two years. I raise Appaloosa’s, and have had horses since I was ten years old. Below is a photo of my mare Dream (AKA Hobos Dream Girl) and I crossing a river here in New Mexico.
AUTHOR BIO
A cartographer by day, A. L. Boyd spends most of her free time with her horses, gardening, or reading. She never intended to be a writer, but stories like this one sometimes just pop into her head. The writing came about as a way to get the stories out.
CONTACT & MEDIA INFO:
Email: dunappaloosa@yahoo.com
Also by the Author
Crest Ridge Vacation - The short version of this story originally written in 2013 for the Goodreads M/M Romance Group writing event.
Kickass Anthology - A short story in the anthology donated to help pay medical expenses for a fellow author.
Coming Soon
The Dawn of Darkness - Contemporary short story written for the 2015 Goodreads M/M Romance Group writing event.
GIVEAWAY DETAILS:
Rafflecopter - $25.00 Amazon Gift Card
a Rafflecopter giveaway
