Monday, 12 September 2016

EXCERPT REVEAL: Playboy Pilot by Penelope Ward & Vi Keeland


PLAYBOY_PILOT_EXCERPT.jpg
This is an exclusive sneak peek of Playboy Pilot.
(A standalone novel)
Release date 9/19/2016
A Contemporary Romance novel
New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Authors
Penelope Ward & Vi Keeland


**********
Excerpt
The driver began to shout something in Portuguese. The way his finger was wagging, I assumed he was telling the person that the cab was full. But the passenger didn’t listen. Next thing I knew, I was sitting next to someone in the back seat.
Someone wearing a uniform.
Captain Carter Clynes in the flesh.
He turned to face me with a wicked grin on his face. “My layover just got more interesting.”
Damn. He seemed to have grown that stubble overnight.
“How was your flight, Perky? Did you enjoy the ride I gave you?”
“My shirt’s dry. I think you can drop the Perky.”
His eyes lowered to my breasts. Of course, my nipples were standing at full attention since the sheen of sweat on my skin had met the cool air-conditioning inside the cab.
Carter scrubbed his hands over his face. “Damn. You weren’t kidding about those things. I haven’t slept in eighteen hours, and they just woke me up. I think they’re contagious, and I’m f*cking perky now.”
“That’s not really an appropriate thing to say to a woman you just met, you know.”
“We didn’t just meet. This is our third date.”
“Third date?”
“I bought you dinner in an elegant restaurant for our first one and took you up for a plane ride for our second one. Those were damn good dates. Some women would kill for that kind of lavishness. Seems fitting date three we should be heading to a hotel.” He winked.
I wasn’t sure if it was the time change, my being tired from restless sleep on the plane, or if it was possible this man could say anything and I wouldn’t be offended. Why am I not I offended?
When I didn’t respond, he continued. “I’m glad I saw you. Didn’t think I would ever see you again.”
“That might be because you didn’t look for me.”
“I never thought you’d actually take my suggestion and fly to Brazil.”
I mumbled. “Neither did I.”
The cab driver interrupted, looking between us to ask, “You share cab, yes?”
Surprising me, Carter answered. In Portuguese. The language that sounded choppy and frustrating just two minutes ago, suddenly sounded sexy and romantic.
He turned back to me in English. “What hotel are you staying at?”
“I was just trying to figure that out with a little help from Google. Do you have one to recommend?”
“You trust me to pick out where you’ll stay tonight?”
I considered his question for a minute. It was illogical, that much I knew, but I did trust him to pick my hotel. Lord knows why. “I think I do.”
That response earned me another sexy grin that had me more excited than I’d been in the last year.
Almost a half-hour later, we were finally off the highway and traveling into what looked like a residential neighborhood. “Barra da Tijuca.” I read the street sign aloud.
“Very good. I should probably warn you. It’s probably not the type of hotel you’re used to.”
“What does that mean?”
“You look like you’re more of the luxury chain with a spa type of woman, that’s all.”
Even though that was exactly what I’d typed into Google, when he said it that way, it sounded like a bad thing. It made me defensive. “And what’s wrong with a luxury hotel? Sometimes a girl needs a massage and a soak in a nice bathtub while traveling.”
“Well, you certainly won’t be getting either of those where we’re heading.” Carter caught my eye. “Unless I’m the one doing the massaging, that is.”
I blushed, which caused Carter to chuckle. “You really are f*cking adorable. I’m not sure what’s sexier, the fact that you’re up for letting me take you on this little adventure, or that you secretly like the thought of me giving you a massage.”
“I do not!” My quick, defensive response only confirmed he was right.
He leaned to me. “Do, too.”
“You’re off base.”
“That’s a shame. I’ve been told I’m really good with my hands.” He held out his hands in front of him, examining them. Big hands. Hands that looked like he used them to do some actual work when he wasn’t flying a plane.
Damn.
★★★★


We hope you enjoyed this extended preview!
Available for Pre-order on iBooks, Nook and Kobo now!
Google Play: http://bit.ly/2c5WiRm
Paperback pre-order: http://amzn.to/2ctOkoz
Add Playboy Pilot to your TBR list on Goodreads!

Sign up for Penelope & Vi’s mailing list now and be the first one notified of releases! http://eepurl.com/brAPo9


playboy pilot.jpg
Blurb
From the New York Times bestselling authors of Stuck-Up Suit and Cocky Bastard, comes a sexy new standalone novel.

Money or love? Which would you choose? 

You probably just answered the question in your head thinking it's an easy decision.

For me, it's not. Did I mention it's a lot of money? A hell of a lot.

I needed to go far away to think it through.

As I embarked on an impulsive trip, I hit a detour when I met sexy Carter in the airport lounge. We struck up a heated conversation.

Then, he left.

I thought I'd never see him again.

But fate had other plans.

Surprise! He was the pilot of my flight.

The bigger surprise was the adventure that followed after the plane landed.

Carter was dangerous and always on the move.

Even though our connection was magnetic, I knew it was only temporary.

He would give me tickets, and I would follow him around the world to exotic places.

A bevvy of flight attendant exes and rumors about Carter's reputation were never far behind.

I didn't know what to believe.

But I was addicted. Nothing else mattered anymore. And I was going to get hurt. Because a part of me wanted to be the one to finally ground the playboy pilot.

At the very least, he was taking me on a thrilling ride.

All good things must come to an end, right?

Except our ending was one I didn't see coming.
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Meet Penelope Ward
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Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of eleven novels. Her books have placed on the New York Times bestseller list fourteen times. She is the proud mother of a beautiful 11-year-old girl with autism (the inspiration for the character Callie in Gemini) and a 10-year-old boy. Penelope, her husband and kids reside in Rhode Island.
       

Other books from Penelope Ward & Vi Keeland
Stuck-Up Suit


Cocky Bastard



Other books from Penelope Ward
Neighbor Dearest
Stepbrother Dearest
RoomHate
Sins of Sevin


Jake Undone (Jake #1)
My Skylar
Jake Understood (Jake #2)
Gemini


*************************


Meet Vi Keeland
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Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author. With more than a million books sold, her titles have appeared in over fifty Bestseller lists and are currently translated in ten languages. She lives in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six.

Other books from Vi Keeland
Life on Stage series (2 standalone books)
Beat
Throb
MMA Fighter series (3 standalone books)
Worth the Fight


Worth the Chance
Worth Forgiving


The Cole Series (2 book serial)
Belong to You
Made for You


Standalone novels
Bossman
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2a8D5B6
iBooks: http://apple.co/25x2jyX
B&N: http://bit.ly/29sL4H2
Kobo: http://bit.ly/29lW19I
Google Play: http://bit.ly/29JqkL2
The Baller



Left Behind (A Young Adult Novel)
First Thing I See



THANK YOU!

Thanks for dropping by!

~Leftie

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Friday, 9 September 2016

COVER REVEAL: Unearthed by Kora Knight

´*•.¸(*•.¸(´*•.¸(*•.¸COVER & BLURB REVEAL¸.•*´)¸.•*´)¸.•*´)¸.•*´

  unearthed-cover

Love buried his heart in the cold, hard ground. Now he’s fighting to keep it there.

Title: Unearthed

Series: The Dungeon Black Duology

Author: Kora Knight

Release: September 30th

Cover Artist: Jay Aheer

goodreads-button

Blurb

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 a$$. A brutal blow that not only stole his breath, but decimated his ability to trust. Turning him cold and cynical. The knockout punch he never saw coming.
 Love. A mistake Max won’t ever make again.
 Meaning no more relationships—not exactly a hardship. Hell, 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.

Stalk Kora Here:


https://www.instagram.com/koraknight/ 
https://www.pinterest.com/valgirld/kora-knight/ https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8529860.Kora_Knight 
https://www.amazon.com/Kora-Knight/e/B00OBYLP8W/ https://plus.google.com/u/0/117558623135317111788


Excited for this one!

Thanks for dropping by!

~Leftie
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Thursday, 8 September 2016

EXCERPT REVEAL: Retrieval by Aly Martinez


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Excerpt
Prologue
Roman
The house was dark when I quietly twisted the lock so as not to wake her. God knows she needed the sleep. I didn’t know how she still functioned when her days were filled with tears and her nights weren’t much better. It was precisely the reason I stayed gone as much as I did. Or so I’d thought as I’d thrown myself into work. Money couldn’t solve my problems, but it might have been able to solve hers.
My body ached, and my lids barely stayed open despite the pot of coffee I’d downed not even an hour earlier. It was a miracle I had been able to drive at all. I should have just crashed at the office, but after yet another failed prototype, I’d needed an escape.
Instead, I’d gone home—the very place I’d spent so many nights trying to avoid.
Only one foot was over the threshold when I suddenly froze.
“Elisabeth?” I called, flipping the overhead light on.
My shoulders fell as I found her sitting on the sofa, her long, blond hair curtaining her face and suitcases surrounding her feet.
“What’s going on?” I asked as my gut wrenched, already knowing the answer.
I had no right to be surprised. I’d all but forced her hand. If I was honest with myself, it was what I’d wanted—for her. However, none of that made the pain of reality any less agonizing.
My heart raced. “Elisabeth?” I prompted again, needing to hear her say the words almost as much as I dreaded it.
“I can’t stay here anymore,” she whispered at the floor.
Acid rose in my throat.
Out of habit, I dropped my keys into the basket she’d bought when we’d first moved in. “If you fail the key basket, the key basket will fail you,” she’d announced with an infectious smile the day we had become homeowners to the two-bedroom-two-bath starter home we could barely afford. It was just seconds before I’d swept her off her feet and made love to her on the hardwood floor of our foyer in the middle of the day.
But such was life as a newlywed.
Inside that house with her was the only place I’d ever wanted to be.
Until the fantasy of forever had worn off and the walls of real life had closed in on us. Once my refuge, our home became an inescapable prison with bars built of my failures.
I couldn’t breathe inside that house any more than I could look her in the eye.
We’d only been married for five years. But, seeing her now, I felt like it’d been a lifetime since I’d peered into her eyes, promising to love her in sickness and in health.
But it wasn’t like she was the same woman, either.
Over the last six months, she’d wasted away both physically and mentally in front of my eyes.
And I’d done absolutely nothing to help her.
But how do you throw a lifeline when you yourself don’t even have a rope to hold on to? I might have been able to keep her afloat for another day, but I’d never have been able to pull her back to me.
We merely existed on the same plane. Living under the same roof, eating meals at the same table, sleeping in the same bed. But we were far from sharing our lives together.
“Are you coming back?” I asked, not willing to accept the truth that lingered in the air around us.
Her deep-green eyes lifted to mine—the red rims and the dark circles doing nothing to hinder her beauty. Swallowing hard, she shifted her gaze to the mantel on the other side of the room. I knew what she was looking at, but I refused to follow her into the past.
That might have been our biggest problem of all.
She was still living there.
And I refused to go back.
“Elisabeth?” My voice softened, but the question remained the same. “Are you coming back?”
“No,” she replied, swiping the tears from her cheeks.
A thousand arrows fell from the sky, searing into my soul. My breath hitched, and my lungs burned. This was it—the end of my life as I knew it. But, in that moment, with her shoulders hunched forward in defeat, I realized that it was the end of hers, too.
Why did that realization hurt more than the lifetime of loneliness that was awaiting me when the sun rose?
I lifted a hand and rubbed my chest, hoping to ease the mounting pressure threatening to overtake me. “Don’t do this,” I mumbled through the pain.
I wasn’t sure who I’d meant that for though.
Was I chastising myself for having asked her to prolong the inevitable just because I wasn’t ready to lose her yet? Or was I asking her to stay in this sham of a marriage for even one day longer?
Probably both.
“You’ll be okay,” she assured me, pushing to her feet and gathering her bag, complete with our Yorkie, Loretta, tucked in her mesh dog carrier.
My pulse quickened, nature’s fight-or-flight finally kicking in. But I’d been in flight mode for entirely too long. There was no fight left.
I stepped into her path. “Elisabeth, please.” I wasn’t sure why I kept saying her name. I secretly hoped that it would snap her out of it, bringing her back to the reality of it all. But it was the reality that was killing us.
“I’ll take off work tomorrow,” I pleaded. “We can talk. Figure things out.”
It was selfish. Completely and utterly selfish. But that was nothing new for me.
Her chin quivered as a steady stream of tears fell from her eyes. “Promise me something, Roman.”
I would have promised her the entire f*cking universe if it had made her stay one night longer. But who was I kidding?
We were over.
We both knew it.
“Anything,” I whispered, reaching down to take her hand, desperate for the connection I didn’t deserve.
“Remember to live.” Her voice caught, and a silent sob tore through her.
Cupping the back of her head, I pulled her into my chest.
“I can fix this,” I swore, but it was yet another lie. “We just need time.”
Her shoulders shook as she cried in my arms. “We…we promised. We told him we’d live for him.”
I closed my lids and clung to her tighter.
We were supposed to be fighting and screaming. That was what soon-to-be-divorced couples did. But that wasn’t us. We didn’t hate each other. Elisabeth was my soul mate on every level.
And she was paying the price for that.
Minutes later, the tears stopped and she backed out of my arms. I fought the urge to regain my hold, forcing her to stay. But her sad resolve as she hurried to the mantel and then to the door made it clear it’d be a wasted effort.
Never in a million years had I thought I’d be standing there, watching her walk away.
But, then again, I’d never expected her to have the urn of our only child cradled in her arm, either. A reminder of just how much I hadn’t been able to give her. How much I’d never be able to give her.
My past, present, and future were walking out of my life, and I stood immobile as every fiber in my being screamed for me to drop to my knees and beg her to stay.
To take her in my arms and tell her that we’d figure it out.
To reclaim my life once and for all.
But how would that have helped her?
Staying wouldn’t magically bring back her smile. Nor would it make her look at me with those bright-green eyes that made me feel as though I could conquer the world.
It wouldn’t give me back the crazy woman who argued with her whole heart and loved with her entire soul. No. Those days were gone.
I’d lost that woman somewhere in the bitterness between grief and blame.
We’d been happy once.
But we’d gotten greedy and tried to start a family.
That was her future. Not mine. Regardless how desperately I longed to give it to her…and then selfishly take it for myself.
Sex. That’s how babies are made. Children as young as elementary school are taught the simple biological facts of reproduction.
But what they never tell you is that, for one in six couples, having a baby goes a little differently.
For Elisabeth and me, it looked more like this:
Thirty-six months of crushing disappointment.
Three miscarriages.
Hundreds of tests our insurance company refused to cover because the inability to reproduce was not considered a health condition.
Countless tears.
Helplessness.
Failure.
Failure.
Failure.
Her broken heart.
My empty chest.
Thirty-seven thousand dollars we didn’t have.
In vitro fertilization.
A sperm donor.
A handful of hope.
A positive pregnancy test.
Five months of utter bliss.
Earth-shattering devastation.
A funeral for a child I would never get to see grow up.
A job that became my only reprieve from reality.
And now…losing the only woman I would ever love.
I’d always been amazed by how much punishment a heart could take. I was broken, battered, and destroyed. And yet, much to my dismay, as I watched the front door close behind her, my heart kept beating.

RETRIEVAL_COMING_SOON.jpg
ONE STORY. TWO COUPLES.
The Retrieval Duet by Aly Martinez is a two part series releasing September 2016.

RETRIEVAL releases on September 13th and will bring readers the first part of this emotional second chance romance.   
TRANSFER (Part Two) will release on September 27th!


Retrieval (Part One):

Transfer (Part Two)
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Blurb
I proposed on our first date.
She laughed and told me I was insane. Less than a day later, she said yes.
It was a whirlwind, but we were happy…
Until we got greedy and wanted a family.
It was a life I couldn’t give her, not for lack of trying. Fertility just wasn’t on our side. We sought out doctors and treatments. Spent money we didn’t have. Lied to our families. Smiled for our friends. Put on a brave face for a world that didn’t understand.
Finally, we were successful…
Until we were forced to bury our son.
We were left broken, battered, and destroyed.
They say love is in the details, but it was the details that ruined us.
This is the story of how I took back what had always been mine.
The retrieval of my wife and our family.
Meet Aly Martinez
ali martinez.jpg


Born and raised in Savannah, Georgia, Aly Martinez is a stay-at-home mom to four crazy kids under the age of five, including a set of twins. Currently living in South Carolina, she passes what little free time she has reading anything and everything she can get her hands on, preferably with a glass of wine at her side.
After some encouragement from her friends, Aly decided to add “Author” to her ever-growing list of job titles. Five books later, she shows no signs of slowing. So grab a glass of Chardonnay, or a bottle if you’re hanging out with Aly, and join her aboard the crazy train she calls life.



THANK YOU!

TRSOR_PROMOTIONS.jpg

Thanks for dropping by!

~Leftie
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Wednesday, 7 September 2016

REVIEW: Furious Rush by SC Stephens




Blurb

Too fast, too furious-and way too hot to handle . . .

Mackenzie Cox has a lot to prove. Daughter of a racing legend, she is eager to show the world that she has inherited her father's talent in the male-dominated sport of professional motorcycle racing. The last thing Kenzie needs is to be antagonized by her rival team's newest rider, Hayden Hayes. Plucked from the world of illegal street racing, Hayden immediately gets under Kenzie's skin. His insinuations that Kenzie is a spoiled princess who was handed her career fuels her desire to win, and much to her surprise, Kenzie soon learns she performs better when she's racing against Hayden.

As Kenzie and Hayden push each other on the track, the electric energy between them off the track shifts into an intense--and strictly forbidden--attraction. The only rule between their two ultra-competitive teams is zero contact. Kenzie always does her best to play by the rules, but when her team slips into a financial crisis, she has no choice but to turn to Hayden for help. The tension simmers during their secret, late-night rendezvous, but Kenzie has too much to lose to give in to her desires. Especially when she begins to doubt that Hayden has completely left his street life behind...

Review

RATING:
---

Hmmm… this is my first SC Stephens read…

Ummm… I think this is going on my deferred-shelf… Hmmm…

Sadly, this is one book that is barely capturing my attention. I’ve started and stopped a few times already, and I seem to be struggling to finish it. I got stuck at 58%... After the most recent decision by the h, I said to myself, ok, that’s it… for now… I think…

Completely my fault, let me be super clear about that. When the generous offer for a copy came my way, I got curious. I’ve never read SC before. Goodreads friends love her Thoughtless series. But as much as I hear so much love for that series, I didn’t, or still don’t, feel inclined to read it, don’t ask me why. But this book came along, so I thought, what the hey!

Now comes the uncomfortable part. I’m having real issues with the characters. Off the bat, the h’s friend rubbed me off the wrong way. Then as the story started opening up, I can barely care for Kenzie and Hayden. I can’t seem to bring myself to see past their immature thoughts and actions. I don’t understand Kenzie’s family’s first world problems or Kenzie’s source of angst. I can’t even find any sympathy for Hayden and his back story.

Consequently, I’ve become less and less engaged with the story to a point where it just started to drag…

I wanted to say it caught me at an off moment. Maybe? I’d like to think I will eventually go back to this when I’m in a more forgiving frame of mind. I even think that this may ultimately surprise me when I do get back to it. Maybe?

I seem to be in the minority so clearly it's just me...


Thanks for dropping by!

~Leftie



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Tuesday, 6 September 2016

BLOG TOUR: This Isn't Over, Baby (War & Peace, Book 3) by K Webster

ThisIsn'tOverBaby_Tour

This Isn’t Over, Baby

by K. Webster 
War & Peace 
Publication Date: August 30, 2016 
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Dark Romance

TIOB FRONT ONLY FINAL


They’d won the battle and I held up the white flag of defeat… But the war wasn’t OVER. I suffered the aching loss of what they had stolen from me. OVER and OVER again, my heart broke. The white Queen and the black King had taken OVER the game and ruled for what seemed like eternity. Until one day, eternity was finally OVER. I was the dark knight who would rise again and conquer. I was the man who would win OVER the most important piece on the board. A slayer. A protector. A father. A new king with the blackest of hearts. And head OVER heels in love with… The little princess who owned my twisted soul. Sometimes the villains don’t just want their happy ending… They demand it. This isn’t OVER, baby. This will never be OVER.

  Warning: This Isn’t Over, Baby is a dark romance. Strong sexual themes and violence which could trigger emotional distress are found in this story. This story is NOT for everyone.

goodreads-badge-add-38px 
TIOB FULL JACKET FINAL

Review

RATING:




Oh dear lawhd, what did I just read?!?

I knew I was gonna be in for one heck of a crazy train ride with this one, but it’s nowhere near what I expected. It veered off off off left that all I could do was hold on tightly to the sane part of my brain. Mind officially f*cked!

This is after all about the “bad guy”. The “bad guy” in the first 2 books in this series, with no morals and did despicable things. Yet, the same “bad guy” that you can’t help but be intrigued by… say wut?!

It really is best to just dive in and not poke around other reviews too much. From beginning to end, it’s a crazy ride. I know I’ve said that already. I finished this a couple of days ago and my mind still can’t fully wrap around how crazy this ride was, HAH!

Here, Kristi gave me a better context to the evil that is Gabe. Did it humanize him? I think it did. Did it turn him from bad to at least some kind of antihero? You tell me! Then we meet Hannah. There’s no doubt that she’ll go down in my reading history as one of the most unhinged heroines. There’s nothing redeeming about her yet I can’t bring myself to hate her. There’s definitely something to be said when both H&h(?) are equally crazy. It levels out the playing field somewhat... hmmm...

I had to purposely make myself forget the age of these 2 constantly to make things a tad(?) more palatable. The ending is almost predictable in its craziness. It was interesting to see War and Baylee again. And the epilogue nicely(?) opens up future stories.

Take the warning seriously in this book. There are a lot of triggers here and stomach-churning events. If you’re a fan of really dark erotic reads, this will be up your alley, I think. If you like dark with some kind of threshold like me, this will push your limits. If you’re a fan of crazy reads, then this is definitely for you.

The way I see it, in Hannah, Gabe found his salvation and comeuppance. I’d leave it at that...

Kristi, you are one devious writer!!

About K. Webster

K Webster2 

 K Webster is the author of dozens romance books in many different genres including contemporary romance, historical romance, paranormal romance, and erotic romance. When not spending time with her husband of twelve years and two adorable children, she’s active on social media connecting with her readers. Her other passions besides writing include reading and graphic design. K can always be found in front of her computer chasing her next idea and taking action. She looks forward to the day when she will see one of her titles on the big screen. You can easily find K Webster on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Goodreads!

 Website: www.authorkwebster.com Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/bllgoP

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads


IndieSageBlogger


Thanks for dropping by!

~Leftie


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Monday, 5 September 2016

REVIEW: Connection Error (#gaymers, Book 3) by Annabeth Albert


Amazon || Kobo || B&N || iBook


Blurb

It's typical of video game programmer Josiah Simmons to be the last one on the plane on the way to the biggest meeting of his career. Though he's (mostly) coping with his ADHD, he can't handle another distraction. But he also can't ignore his rugged seatmate—especially once he learns the military man's a fan of his game.

Ryan Orson refuses to let his severe injuries pause his career as a navy SEAL. He's got hours of grueling physical therapy ahead of him, and no time for anything that might get in the way of his return to active duty. But that doesn't mean he's above a little first-class flirtation with geeky-cute Josiah.

When a delay strands the pair in St. Louis, they agree to share a hotel room and a night of gaming. Neither expects their new connection to move to the next level in the light of day. Opposites may attract, but is this game over before it's even begun?

Review

RATING:




The 3rd standalone book in this series, it’s Josiah turn with Ryan.

Josiah met Ryan by pure coincidence on a plane, and thanks to a diverted trip, they ended up spending a night somewhere. A friendship was born but who are they kidding, it is more than that. As this is part of #gaymers series, gaming plays a big part, of course, in how their relationship evolved.

Josiah, dealing with his ADHD, may lack the necessary filters in his communication but at least you know he means what he says and says what he means. He’s considerate of Ryan, adorable with his insecurities. I’ve lost count of the times I found myself with this silly grin on my face with his lines and thoughts.

Ryan was still recovering, physically, mentally and emotionally, from his military tour that would his course in life. When he met Josiah, a lot of things are still new to him and Josiah definitely was unexpected. Josiah becoming a part of his life was definitely not part of his plan. He’s grumpy in a charming way and Josiah has the right temperament to create a chink in his armor. He’s an alpha through and through but now saddled with his new reality and that’s a tough pill to swallow. And it was just as adorable to see him be unsettled by Josiah.

Josiah and Ryan’s story has a heavier feel than the first two. I think Annabeth handled it deftly and respectfully without trivializing the aftereffects, especially when I think of Ryan’s situation.

In my mind, while this was not perfect in its execution like the first 2 bks in the series, what I can’t deny is the perfection of the characters in all their imperfections. They cannot be any more endearing in my head. There’s just something in the way Annabeth exposes the “flaws” of these men in such a fashion that makes you love them even more without shoving angst in your face. She gives me characters I would want to surround myself with in RL. And just like the first 2 books, she gave me a story that’s complex in its simplicity, like a hot cup of tea with a surprising spice to it. Like chai, maybe? LOL

Two opposites gravitating towards each other, reading each other to give each other what they need and finding in each other what they want… sigh… Can’t get any better than that!

About the Author


Annabeth Albert grew up sneaking romance novels under the bed covers. Now, she devours all subgenres of romance out in the open—no flashlights required! When she’s not adding to her keeper shelf, she’s a multi-published Pacific Northwest romance writer.

Emotionally complex, sexy, and funny stories are her favorites both to read and to write. Annabeth loves finding happy endings for a variety of pairings and is a passionate gay rights supporter. In between searching out dark heroes to redeem, she works a rewarding day job and wrangles two toddlers.




Thanks for dropping by!

~Leftie



 

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