2017 DSP Advent Stocking Stuffer Review: Homemade From The Heart by Bru Baker

Title: Homemade from the Heart
Author: Bru Baker
Category: Holiday, Contemporary
Pages: 55

Dreamspinner Press

Craft store owner Grant has always been a sucker for a pretty face, and that goes double for a pretty face with an adorable sidekick. When seven-year-old Aubrey has her heart set on taking Grant’s already-full holiday craft series, he caves and gives up his one day off a week so she (and her hot guardian, Josh) can take private lessons. Their flirting ramps up week after week, and even though Josh isn’t with Aubrey’s mother, Grant can’t be sure the man isn’t straight. Maybe he’s just being friendly. And Josh, who most definitely is not straight, is afraid of being the creepy guy hitting on the teacher.

Frustrated by their stubbornness and cluelessness, Aubrey takes matters into her own hands. She decides the best gift to give Josh is something homemade and from the heart—a boyfriend they’ll both love.

Release Day Blitz: Get Up by Reece Pine (Excerpt+Giveaway)

Title:  Get Up

Author: Reece Pine

Publisher:  NineStar Press

Release Date: December 25, 2017

Heat Level: 3 - Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 69500

Genre: Contemporary, LGBT, MM, contemporary, wilderness, child abuse, mental illness, PTSD

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Synopsis

Recently dumped (again) for being cold, Guy gladly accepts his publisher friend’s request to go to a remote hut in wintry Nunavut to find out whether aspiring novelist Cam Campbell is a plagiarist. By agreeing also to help the eccentric ecologist survey wildlife for a month, Guy buys time to assess Cam’s innocence and hear stories about Cam’s late father–Guy’s favorite fantasy writer and the man whose book Cam is accused of stealing.

Guy’s investigation is soon biased by his attraction to Cam and the growing concern about Cam’s odd behavior. At times, Cam dissociates and is icier than Guy could ever be, yet he’s the only one who’s ever recognized, at a glance, the emotions burning beneath Guy’s surface. Guy knows he’s the best person to help Cam abandon the dangerous wilds outside and address those in Cam’s head, but he also knows that he’ll lose the chance if he comes clean about his ulterior motives for getting close to Cam. How can he convince Cam to come in from the cold… and why are they both really out there anyway?

Book Review: Deal Maker by Lily Morton

Book Review: Deal Maker by Lily Morton

Sometimes your mouth makes deals that your heart can’t honour.

Jude is a highly successful model, but a very reluctant one. His life is full of casual hook-ups with pretty men in glamorous locations, but it’s still empty. However, circumstances decreed a long time ago that this was his path, so he’s resolutely stayed on it and accepted his fate with good grace. He made a deal with himself and his hook-ups. Get in, get out and no ties with anyone.

However, an accident at home one night leads to him making a new deal and accepting the offer of help from an unlikely source. It leads to an unexpected summer of falling in love with a larger than life man and his child.

But by the end of the summer his reasons for not staying are still valid. Will he turn away? Can he?

Asa is a talented actor who has spent time away from the scene to look after his son. But now he’s back, and the last thing he needs are complications from the gorgeous man who is staying with him. Scarred from too many betrayals, he has no intention of forming a lasting tie with anyone. However, he can’t resist the beautiful man with secrets, and to his horror he develops feelings.

But a deal’s a deal and they said it was just for the summer. What can Asa do with a man who has forever in his eyes and goodbye on his lips?

From the Amazon bestselling author of ‘Rule Breaker’ comes another scorchingly hot romantic comedy.

2017 DSP Advent Stocking Stuffer Review: Candy Canes and Cappuccinos by Elizabeth Coldwell

Title: Candy Canes and Cappuccinos
Author: Elizabeth Coldwell
Category: Holiday, Contemporary
Pages: 24

Dreamspinner Press

Kyle is struggling to run his coffee shop on his own after his partner walked out on him. He has his eye on Steven, who comes into the shop each day, but hasn’t worked up the nerve to express his interest. When Steven asks Kyle to help out with Christmas lunch at the homeless shelter where he works, Kyle is too exhausted to agree. He donates his tips but still feels he’s blown his chances with Steven and made himself look like a selfish jerk.

On Christmas Day, Kyle sees a way to make amends—to both Steven and the needy people depending on his kindness. It’s the right thing to do, and Kyle hopes he can clear up the misunderstanding and show Steven the type of man he really is. Maybe then they can consider some dessert when the lunch at the shelter is over…

Pre-Release Review: Being With Him by Mickie B. Ashling

Title:  Being With Him

Series: A Horizons Series Novella

Author: Mickie B. Ashling

Publisher:  Dreamspinner Press

Release Date: 12/27/17

Heat Level: 3 - Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 145 (42K)

Genre: Romance, Holiday, Contemporary, Transgender

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Pre-Order at Dreamspinner Press

Synopsis

Zeb Araneda leaves his privileged but closely supervised life in the Philippines to study architecture at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, where his new roommate is openly gay Luca Dilorio.

Alex Boulet is a successful print model who appears to have it all, but on closer inspection, the ready smile never reaches his mesmerizing green eyes. Tired of living alone, Alex moves in with fellow model Chyna Davidson, Luca’s boyfriend.

Away from his father’s watchful eye, and with Luca’s help, Zeb learns to navigate his new environment, and experiences freedom of choice for the first time. This fresh perspective allows him to step out of his comfort zone and act on his attraction to Alex.

The holiday season has always been difficult for Alex. Sappy commercials tug at his heart, and storefront windows depict idealized scenes that remind him of what he’ll never have: a loving partner willing to accept his truth. Will this Christmas be another disappointment, or will Santa finally make his wish come true?

Blog Tour: Being With Him by Mickie B. Ashling (Guest Post + Giveaway)

Title:  Being With Him

Series: A Horizons Series Novella

Author: Mickie B. Ashling

Publisher:  Dreamspinner Press

Release Date: 12/27/17

Heat Level: 3 - Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 145 (42K)

Genre: Romance, Holiday, Contemporary, Transgender

Add to Goodreads

Synopsis

Zeb Araneda leaves his privileged but closely supervised life in the Philippines to study architecture at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, where his new roommate is openly gay Luca Dilorio.

Alex Boulet is a successful print model who appears to have it all, but on closer inspection, the ready smile never reaches his mesmerizing green eyes. Tired of living alone, Alex moves in with fellow model Chyna Davidson, Luca’s boyfriend.

Away from his father’s watchful eye, and with Luca’s help, Zeb learns to navigate his new environment, and experiences freedom of choice for the first time. This fresh perspective allows him to step out of his comfort zone and act on his attraction to Alex.

The holiday season has always been difficult for Alex. Sappy commercials tug at his heart, and storefront windows depict idealized scenes that remind him of what he’ll never have: a loving partner willing to accept his truth. Will this Christmas be another disappointment, or will Santa finally make his wish come true?

2017 DSP Advent Stocking Stuffer Review: The Holly Groweth Green by Amy Rae Durreson

Title: The Holly Groweth Green
Author: Amy Rae Durreson
Category: Holiday, Fantasy
Pages: 55

https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/the-holly-groweth-green-by-amy-rae-durreson-9094-b

When wounded doctor Laurence Payne is stranded in the snowy English countryside on Christmas Eve, 1946, he is surprised to stumble upon Mistle Cottage and its mysterious inhabitant. Avery claims to be an Elizabethan wizard, and Laurence struggles to explain away the atmosphere of the cottage as mere coincidence and trickery. He spends a magical twelve days of Christmas celebrating with Avery, but then wakes to find his lover has vanished and the cottage has fallen to ruin overnight.

Laurence’s investigations lead him to the story of an ancient fairy curse—Avery is doomed to spend only Christmas Eve to Twelfth Night in human form until he finds true love. Laurence sets out to give Avery the greatest gift of all—his heart and with it the chance to live for more than the fleeting winter weeks he’s been sentenced to.

2017 DSP Advent Stocking Stuffer Review: A Gift of Family by Tami Veldura

Title: A Gift of Family
Author: Tami Veldura
Category: Holiday, Contemporary
Pages: 32

Dreamspinner Press

Scott Burke has always desired a big family, but as a divorced single dad, all he has is his young daughter, Lexi. He pours himself into raising her, half-convinced he’ll never find what he’s looking for. When Brennan Price strolls into Scott’s life, he’d better have enough patience for both Lexi and Scott if he intends to stick around.

Brennan has a huge family and a successful career, but no one to call his own. Wooing Scott and his daughter is right up his alley, though, and he steps up to the challenge to prove he’s enough for both of them. His attraction to Scott is immediate, but he recognizes a family man when he sees one and hatches a plan to win Lexi over. Her handsome father is sure to follow…

Release Blitz & Chapter Reveal: Traitorous Toys by Mildred Abbott

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by Mildred Abbott

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It’s Christmas in Estes Park, Colorado: cozy fires, twinkling lights, soft snowfall, and… murder. The winter holidays in charming Estes Park lulls Winifred Page and her corgi, Watson, into thoughts of spiced chai and gingerbread as they settle into their new home. Fred’s dream bookshop is becoming a reality, and with Christmas only days away, her only concerns are spending time with family, enforcing Watson’s diet, and finding the perfect gifts. The toy store beckons Fred and her friend Katie, who dash in out of the cold, during a shopping spree to discover handmade toys, cuddly stuffed animals… and a dying man on the floor. When Katie’s desperate attempts to save the man ends in her being taken in for his murder, Fred once again dons her detective hat. She puts aside her Christmas list and—with Watson sniffing around—begins a list of suspects. But as quickly as clues point to one person, new discoveries shift the spotlight to another. With Katie’s freedom in the balance, Fred has little time to think about gifts or to enjoy the holiday lights and music. A killer is on the loose, one who became violent in a picture-perfect Christmas toy shop, and Fred and Watson can’t begin to predict what might happen next…

Review Tour: Why I Left You by Colette Davison (Excerpt + Giveaway)

REVIEW AND BOOK TOUR

                                    

Book Title:  Why I Left You

Author: Colette Davison

Publisher: Smudged Ink Press

Cover Artist: Charlotte L R Kane

Genre/s: gay contemporary romance

Length: 72,000 words/234 pages

Release Date: November 7, 2017

Blurb

Jamie is struggling with university, money and depression. The last thing he needs is for Brett—the guy who left him four years ago—to walk back into his life. Yet it could be just what he needs.

Ever since Jamie left him, Brett has been running away from commitment. But when he meets Jamie again, he’s forced to re-examine every aspect of his life.

Brett and Jamie are drawn back together by an undeniable spark, but unless they can come to terms with the past, their relationship won’t survive the present.

**Contains explicit language and scenes**

Review Tour: The Mistletoe Kiss by Ruby Moone (Giveaway)

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Length: 26,600 words

Publisher: JMS Books

Blurb

By 1816, widowed bookseller Lawrence Fenton has spent a lonely lifetime hiding who he is. He has convinced himself his feelings for his far too young, gorgeous, but troubled assistant Christy Shaw are nothing more than pride in his protégé and concern for his plight.

Christy’s life involves walking fine lines: one between his mother and his abusive stepfather, one where he must keep his needs hidden, and hardest of all, one where he must keep his feelings for his serious employer to himself.

Lame since birth, Lawrence cannot imagine anyone wanting him, least of all Christy. But when Christy’s life threatens to spiral out of control, Lawrence steps in. Then Christy’s emotions spill over into a kiss under the mistletoe at Christmas. Will Lawrence be able to face the long-buried truth about himself and keep Christy by his side?

Review Tour: To Love and To Cherish (Vows Series #3) by Addison Albright (Giveaway)

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

Length: 7hrs 45 mins

Narrator: David Gilmore

Vow's Series

'Til Death Do Us Part - Amazon US | Amazon UK | Audible US | Audible UK

From This Day Forward - Amazon US | Amazon UK | Audible US | Audible UK

Blurb

Jilted by his fiancé two weeks before their wedding, Nash Marino's outlook on life in general, and love in particular, is jaded. After months of couch-surfing, Nash is fed up. He's sick and tired of his living conditions, worn out by the demands of his nursing job, and despairs of ever finding love again. In fact, he doesn't think he's capable of true love. Monogamy, commitment, companionship, and regular sex...that's all he wants, and the sooner, the better.

When Nash crosses paths with a like-minded man who's also in need of a live-in nurse for a beloved relative, Nash figures all his problems are solved. But matters are complicated by a freak accident and amnesia. When Nash's marriage of convenience scheme is muddied by notions of love after his memory reboot, will their plans go awry, or will Nash's new outlook on life be just what the doctor ordered?

Companion to Til Death Do Us Part

Review Tour: Love Happens Anyway by R.J. Scott (Excerpt + Giveaway)

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Length: 42,500 words approx.

Blurb

Hiring a boyfriend for Christmas; what could possibly go wrong?

Derek is facing yet another Christmas where his life feels out of control. He has a new career that doesn’t feel like his, and parents who would just love to see him settled down. All he needs is a temporary buffer for the parties he has to attend, and for his parents to leave him alone. Enter, Luke.

Luke is twenty-thousand dollars short for the renovations on Halligans; his family’s bar in New York’s Financial District. A favor for a buddy has him agreeing to play the part of boyfriend to a guy with more money than sense.

But when the spirit of Christmas works its magic on the two men, and they begin to fall for each other, Derek runs scared, and Luke needs space.

It doesn’t matter what obstacles you throw in the way of love, or how much you run in the other direction, because, when you’re least expecting it, whether you want it or not, love happens anyway.

Cover Reveal: Lost in Time by A.L. Lester (Giveaway)

Add to Goodreads

Pre-order: JMS Books

Cover Design: JM Snyder

Publisher: JMS Books

Length: 54,000 words approx.

The Gate (a FREE short story introducing the characters from Lost In Time) out December 23.

Amazon US | Amazon US | JMS Books

Blurb

Lew’s life is pleasantly boring until his friend Mira messes with magic she doesn't understand. While searching for her, he is pulled back in time to 1919 by a catastrophic magical accident. As he tries to navigate a strange time and find his friend in the smoky music clubs of Soho, the last thing he needs is D etective Alec Carter suspecting him of murder.

London in 1919 is cold, wet, and tired from four years of war. Alec is back in the Metropolitan Police after slogging out his army service on the Western Front. Falling for a suspect in a gruesome murder case is not on his agenda, however attractive he finds the other man.

They are both floundering and out of their depth, struggling to come to terms with feelings they didn’t ask for and didn’t expect. Both have secrets that could get them arrested or killed. In the middle of a murder investigation that involves wild magic, mysterious creatures, and illegal sexual desire, who is safe to trust?

Release Blitz: True (The Temptation Series VI) by Ella Frank (Review)

TRUE, the final book in The Temptation Series by Ella Frank and the highly anticipated wedding between Logan Mitchell and Tate Morrison is LIVE!

Synopsis:

True - adjective: That which is accurate or exact.

I dare you to try.

I think you’re my truth.

Terrify me.

Marry me.

Marry me.

Marry me...

Four years ago, Logan Mitchell walked into Tate’s life and challenged him to see it differently.

He dared Tate to try a kiss, when normally he wouldn’t have.

He begged him to take a chance, when he probably shouldn’t have.

But most importantly, he asked Tate to trust that he would love him, and he did. From that moment on, Tate realized exactly what his life had been missing—Logan.

Happily-ever-afters come in many different forms. But for Tate Morrison, there’s only one ending he wants. The one where the guy marries the guy and true love conquers all.

Now all he has to do is tell Logan.

Join Logan and Tate as they finally realize what the rest of us knew all along. That they belong together for better or worse—always.

Virtual Book Tour ~ New Hand by L.A. Witt (Review + Giveaway)

Virtual Book Tour ~ New Hand by L.A. Witt (Giveaway)

About New Hand

Months after his husband’s death, Garrett Blaine desperately needs a fresh start. He sells his house in Seattle, leaves his accounting job, and starts bartending in Bluewater Bay. There he meets a man who wakes up his nearly forgotten libido.

Jesse Connelly’s friend with benefits bolted after Jesse disclosed his HIV status. Stood up and stinging, Jesse tries to drown his sorrows . . . and finds an unexpected connection with a lonely bartender.

Jesse and Garrett quickly bond over a shared love of comics and card games, and they can’t get enough of each other between the sheets. Not even a bumpy start and a fifteen-year age gap can derail them as they go from strangers to lovers, then friends, then much more.

But as Garrett’s feelings for Jesse deepen, so does his grief for the man he lost—especially as he sees hints of his late husband in his new boyfriend. Now Garrett has to figure out if Jesse is his second chance at true love, or if Jesse’s just filling in for the man he’s never fully grieved. And he needs to figure it out soon, because Jesse’s starting to wonder the same thing.

Available now from Riptide Publishing!

About Bluewater Bay

Welcome to Bluewater Bay! This quiet little logging town on Washington state’s Olympic Peninsula has been stagnating for decades, on the verge of ghost town status. Until a television crew moves in to film Wolf’s Landing, a soon-to-be cult hit based on the wildly successful shifter novels penned by local author Hunter Easton.

Wolf’s Landing’s success spawns everything from merchandise to movie talks, and Bluewater Bay explodes into a mecca for fans and tourists alike. The locals still aren’t quite sure what to make of all this—the town is rejuvenated, but at what cost? And the Hollywood-based production crew is out of their element in this small, mossy seaside locale. Needless to say, sparks fly.

This collaborative story world is brought to you by eleven award-winning, best-selling LGBTQ romance authors: L.A. Witt, L.B. Gregg, Z.A. Maxfield,  Heidi Belleau, Rachel Haimowitz, Anne Tenino, Amy Lane, SE Jakes, G.B. Gordon, Jaime Samms and Ally Blue. Each contemporary novel stands alone, but all are built around the town and the people of Bluewater Bay and the Wolf’s Landing media empire.

Check it out at Riptide Publishing!

4.5 Stars!

After Jesse is stood up by his date, after disclosing his HIV status, he meets widower bartender Garrett, who recently moved to Bluewater Bay. The two of them hit it off despite their age difference and start dating, however, after Charlie's reaction, Jesse is wary of telling Garrett that he's positive and Garrett is having trouble dealing with his grief and deciding if what he feels for Jesse is real or if he's just a stand-in for the man he lost.

I loved Jesse and I wanted to kill Charlie for standing him up like he did, although it ultimately worked in Jesse's favor. My heart broke for Jesse's pain at being dismissed so callously for being HIV positive and made his reticence and then his reaction to Garrett's shock when Jesse finally told him about it understandable. Ms. Witt did a great job with this whole angle, being informative and sensitive about the subject matter, without going overboard. Jesse was sweet, understanding and supportive and I just loved how he wanted to help Garrett in any way he could.

I really liked Garrett, although there were moments in which I just wanted to scream or throw my Kindle away. I understood he was grieving and that it's a process, but the push and pull got tiresome after a while. It's like he was doing well, then someone said something and he was back to square one and doubting himself and whatever he might have been feeling for Jesse. It got a bit repetitive, though. Still, the chemistry between Jesse and Garrett was outstanding. They were hot together and when Garrett wasn't being difficult, they just fit together so perfectly despite their age difference. Never mind that even if I've said it before, LA Witt just writes the most amazing kisses. *dreamy sigh*

I really liked the supporting cast and while this is my first Bluewater Bay book, I feel like it really could be read as a standalone. That doesn't mean that I won't be looking for some of the other books, since I was intrigued by some of the characters featured in this story.

All in all, this was a great introduction to the series for me (and yes, I'm aware it's the last book), it was enjoyable, well-written, interesting, with great characters that I was totally rooting for and really good storylines. Very recommendable!

*** Copy provided via NetGalley by Riptide Publishing for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***

About LA Witt

L.A. Witt is an abnormal M/M romance writer who has finally been released from the purgatorial corn maze of Omaha, Nebraska, and now spends her time on the southwestern coast of Spain. In between wondering how she didn’t lose her mind in Omaha, she explores the country with her husband, several clairvoyant hamsters, and an ever-growing herd of rabid plot bunnies. She also has substantially more time on her hands these days, as she has recruited a small army of mercenaries to search South America for her nemesis, romance author Lauren Gallagher, but don’t tell Lauren. And definitely don’t tell Lori A. Witt or Ann Gallagher. Neither of those twits can keep their mouths shut . . .

Connect with L.A.:

• Website: www.gallagherwitt.com
• Author Blog: gallagherwitt.blogspot.com
• Personal Blog: navywifeadventures.blogspot.
• Twitter: @GallagherWitt
• Facebook: facebook.com//L-A-Witt-MM-Fiction
• Goodreads: goodreads.com/GallagherWitt

Giveaway

To celebrate the release of New Hand, one lucky winner will receive a $10 Riptide credit and their choice of two ebooks off LA Witt’s backlist (not counting New Hand)! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on December 23, 2017. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!