Monday, June 30, 2014

Book Blast: Wolf Run by B.A. Tortuga






Book Name: Wolf Run

Author Name: BA Tortuga

Author Bio:

Texan to the bone and an unrepentant Daddy's Girl, BA Tortuga spends her days with her basset hounds, getting tattooed, texting her sisters, and eating Mexican food. When she's not doing that, she's writing. She spends her days off watching rodeo, knitting and surfing porn sites in the name of research. BA's personal saviors include her partner, Julia Talbot, her best friend, Sean Michael, and coffee. Lots of coffee. Really good coffee.
Having written everything from fist-fighting rednecks to hard-core cowboys to werewolves, BA does her damnedest to tell the stories of her heart, which was raised in Northeast Texas, but is feeling the Colorado mountains calling. With books ranging from hard-hitting GLBT romance, to fiery menages, to the most traditional of love stories, BA refuses to be pigeon-holed by anyone but the voices in her head.

Twitter: @batortuga

Cover Artist: Kris Norris

Publisher: Resplendence Books




Blurb(s):

Mick is a lone wolf in all ways. He’s left his pack, he’s left his homelands and he’s on the road, footloose and fancy free. Well, at least until he wanders up to a fence and finds a little wolf running his ass off behind it. Mick stops to let the pup out and is stunned to hear the young wolf, Scotty, tell him “no”. Scotty's mate and best friend, Danny, asked Scotty to stay behind the fence, so he will be safe while Danny fights to support them both. All this leaves Mick’s fur standing on end. Maybe, Mick doesn’t need one mate to bring him home. Maybe, he needs two.



Excerpt: 

He dropped his wolf form as soon as he was out of sight, his body lengthening into a biped. 

“Dude, why are you in a cage?”

The pup yelped and scrambled back, leaping onto the porch.

“Hey, I’m not here to hurt you. I can open the gate.”

The pup looked at him then boom, a lovely lean man stood there, shaggy blond hair curling around his face. “H-hey.”

“Hi. Would you like to run? I can get you out.” God, the kid was adorable and plenty old enough to play.

“Oh. Oh, no. Daniel would be so mad at me for getting out again.” Eyes the color of brandy caught the sun. “Daniel says I’ll get hurt, lost.”

“Does Daniel mistreat you?” Because Mick could beat someone down just for fun.

“Daniel? My Daniel?” The pup’s laugh was happy, joyous, the look on his face fond and warm. “Oh, no. Daniel loves me. He works for both of us. He brings me half his food every day. He’s a good mate. We… The Alpha said ‘too many males’, and we… Daniel pays for this home, he brushes me, he works all day every day.”

“Do you work?” Mick tilted his head, waiting, nodding in sympathy. Damn, it was hard for bachelor males to manage when thrust out on their own, especially ones who needed an alpha as much as this one did. It seemed like the kid barely held it together, at least on two legs. Sweet baby.

“I paint. I paint pictures, and I wash Daniel’s uniforms. I… I get… He follows rules better than me, and he can stop a shift, if he needs to. He can even work during the moon.”

Mick smiled, liking this kid a lot. “What’s your name, honey?”

“Scott. Scott Miller. What’s yours?”
Scott. It worked.

“I’m Mick Eagleheart. I like your belly. I kinda want to lick it.”

Tour Dates: 6/30/14




Sales Links: 


Resplendence Publishing


Rafflecopter Prize: E-Book copy of Wolf Run




Friday, June 27, 2014

Guest Post: Jodi interviews Rhys Ford.

We are very happy to welcome Rhys Ford to the Smoocher’s Voice blog today. Ford’s most recent novel Tequila Mockingbird is available on Dreamspinner Press. Tequila Mockingbird is the third novel in the Sinners series: Sinner’s Gin, Whiskey and Wry.







Jodi:     Thank you, Rhys for taking the time to answer some questions for our readers. As you know, I am a fan of your writing style and all of your books. It was a pleasure getting to meet you at RainbowCon in Tampa this year. On one of the panel discussions, you mentioned that a good way to move along the plot of a story is by dropping dead bodies.

Rhys:   Thank you for having me!


Jodi:     What draws you to writing mysteries?

Rhys:   Um, I like killing people? No.. I’d say it’s the puzzle. So interesting to write! Really. And fun.


Jodi:     Is it a challenge to incorporate the mystery, violence and romance together?

Rhys:   No, not really. No, I lie. It’s a bitch sometimes. You have to make sure there are no loose ends. Hell, you always want to make sure to account for all the dead bodies.


Jodi:     Have you always been drawn to the romance genre?  When and why did you decide to write exclusively in the m/m genre?

Rhys:   I read pretty much everything. It’s odd how M/M gets stamped romance with a single label when really it’s so varied. I write M/M because it’s interesting. I like the challenge of it. When? I never really distinguished a difference. I’ve always just viewed it as relationships.


Jodi:     Most of your books are written in third person point of view, but readers are still able to delve into the minds of each character through the description and dialogue. Do you prefer writing in third person point of view?

Rhys:   Heh, funnily enough the Dirty Books are first person and those came out first but I’ve done a lot of third person afterwards. I like both equally. It’s all a matter of how much you want to show and how you want to tell the story. Harder to do it in first person if you want to show anything other than what the main character sees.


Jodi:     I know you must love all of your characters, but is there a character or characters you relate to the most?

Rhys:   I’d say Dude but a lot of people would say Miki. And probably Quinn. I’ve got a new character Rook that I adore. He’s coming up in the new series.


Jodi:     Tell us a bit about your inspiration for the Sinner’s Gin series.

Rhys:   Lots of music and drinking. No really. I’ve known a lot of musicians and I’ve read a lot of books about rock stars being ROCK STARS but I wanted to write one about them being people. So there you go. *grins*


Jodi:     The snippets of studio session conversations and lyrics help move along the plot and engage the reader in the lives of the band. Why did you choose to use this method for elaborating on flashbacks and foreshadowing?

Rhys:   Because I’m an idiot and didn’t think about how much I was going to have to write them over a five book series. And short stories. Really.

I felt like the first book needed it because it showed Miki’s relationship with Damie—which was necessary for the reader to see—but in such a way it wasn’t in their face. So it became a thing. Lyric writing is a bitch. I am NEVER ever doing it again. *grins* And now I’m stuck so wish me luck. It’s hard to convey the scenes without getting too maudlin.


Jodi:     In Whiskey and Wry, Connor Morgan is very nervous about telling his father that he has met and subsequently fallen in love with a man. That scene is expanded in Tequila Mockingbird, and readers find out why Connor is so freaked out. Why did you choose the seemingly straight Morgan brother for this relationship?

Rhys:   Because Lisa Horan wanted Connor to have butt sex.

No, the real reason is because I did want to write about a man who was challenged a bit and Con seemed like the one to do it. He’s got himself into a box of who he should be and that isn’t really all him. It was good to write that exploration.


Jodi:     Tell us a little about Forest Ackerman.

Rhys:   He’s a street kid—like Miki—but totally different personality. He’s also had a good anchor where Miki drifted. Forest is a little lost when Con meets him so that’s why they mesh. They both encounter things they need in one another so it’s a good match.


Jodi:     Forest seems to have a lot in common with Miki St. James, and they have a somewhat instant connection despite Miki’s reservations. What is it that draws Miki to Forest?

Rhys:   Miki’s pretty easy going, really he is. With Forest he doesn’t have to explain a lot about who he is. They ease into one another’s space pretty easily. And Damie likes thinking he’s the boss but the other two know it’s an equal relationship.


Jodi:     Kane Morgan is such a strong character in Sinner’s Gin. Although he does make an off-hand comment to Connor about him being with a man, he doesn’t seem surprised. Of course, Kane, as always, is still focused on Miki J. Why isn’t Kane more curious about his brother’s new relationship?

Rhys:   Kane and Con are pretty close so chances are, they’ve spoken about stuff like this before. Kane’s had other things on his mind because so much of the book does bump up against Whiskey and Wry.


Jodi:     Donal and Brigid are awesome characters. They are the personification of unconditional love for not only each other, but also their children. Tell us a little about what makes them tick.

Rhys:   They really are suited for one another. Donal’s a bit more of a guider and leader where Brigid’s a warrior. She’s very fierce and Donal’s the rock. He benefits from her fiery personality, and she loves his strength. They have a good marriage and want to raise good people. I show a bit of their relationship in Tequila. That was a lot of fun.


Jodi:     On the other end of the unconditional love spectrum, we have Forest’s mother. She and Brigid are perfect foils. In their own ways though, both women are fierce. Was it difficult to write these two characters?

Rhys:   It was pretty easy. Sadly, I know more women like Forest’s mother than I do Brigid. But I wanted to show that contrast. Brigid is so happy to have Forest in her life. And he really needs to be loved.


Jodi:     Quinn Morgan, the only Morgan child not involved in law enforcement and Rafe Andrade, Sionn’s best friend, will be the focus of the next book in the series. It seems both of these men are outcasts. Tell us a little about both men.

Rhys:   Oh, Rafe’s the typical bad boy who has a talent but was self-destructive. He’s got a history with the Morgans…he’s also Sionn’s best friend. So this is about him falling really far after being successful and coming back up. Quinn is a bit of an oddity in the Morgans and is out of step with the rest of the world a lot of times. He’ll be working on a few things in Sloe Ride, including Rafe Andrade.


Jodi:     What is your next project? Are you working on a new series?

Rhys:   My next project is in the stewing stages right now.. it is a new series and I’m hammering out the particulars. I need to sit and brew it for a bit before forging in. So I don’t really have a lot to share. I’m also finishing up Down and Dirty, Bobby and Ichi’s story.


Jodi:     For the record, yay for Bobby and Ichi J. Do you prefer writing standalone books or series?

Rhys:   As soon as I write a standalone book that I won’t follow up with another book, I’ll let you know. I’m really sort of bad about that. But I’m going to try really hard. :D

Thank you again for having me! I really appreciate the time and blog space. Thank you again!












§




Tequila Mockingbird
Sequel to Whiskey and Wry
Sinners Series: Book Three

Lieutenant Connor Morgan of SFPD’s SWAT division wasn’t looking for love. Especially not in a man. His life plan didn’t include one Forest Ackerman, a brown-eyed, blond drummer who’s as sexy as he is trouble. His family depends on him to be like his father, a solid pillar of strength who’ll one day lead the Morgan clan.

No, Connor has everything worked out—a career in law enforcement, a nice house, and a family. Instead, he finds a murdered man while on a drug raid and loses his heart comforting the man’s adopted son. It wasn’t like he’d never thought about men — it’s just loving one doesn’t fit into his plans.

Forest Ackerman certainly doesn’t need to be lusting after a straight cop, even if Connor Morgan is everywhere he looks, especially after Frank’s death. He’s just talked himself out of lusting for the brawny cop when his coffee shop becomes a war zone and Connor Morgan steps in to save him.

Whoever killed his father seems intent on Forest joining him in the afterlife. As the killer moves closer to achieving his goal, Forest tangles with Connor Morgan and is left wondering what he’ll lose first—his life or his heart.


Buy  Links




§



Rhys Ford was born and raised in Hawai’i, then wandered off to see the world. After chewing through a pile of books, a lot of odd food, and a stray boyfriend or two, Rhys eventually landed in San Diego, which is a very nice place but seriously needs more rain.

Rhys admits to sharing the house with three cats and a ginger cairn terrorist. Rhys is also enslaved to the upkeep of a 1979 Pontiac Firebird, a laptop, and a red Hamilton Beach coffeemaker.


Visit Rhys's blog at http://rhysford.wordpress.com.











Thursday, June 26, 2014

Review by Jodi: Bound for Trouble by EM Lynley






Author: EM Lynley
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Rating: 5/5 Smooches





Blurb:
Daniel “Deke” Kane is a broken man, facing the end of his career in the FBI. He’s on desk duty after a botched drug raid left the suspects and two children dead. He’s got one chance to prove himself, or the only thing he’ll be investigating is the Help Wanted ads.

Ryan Griffiths has been on the run for ten years. Forced onto the streets when his father kicked him out, Ryan earns his living in other men’s beds. Finding his john dead in a hotel room drives him under the radar until a favorite client gives him a chance at a safe, clean life. But Ryan’s relatively stable new world shatters when Deke Kane catches up with him.

When Deke’s tasked to take down a drug dealer with terrorist ties and a taste for the dark side of BDSM, his only chance to get close is the suspect’s interest in Ryan, and he convinces Ryan to become a confidential informant. In return, Deke offers Ryan immunity from his past. As Ryan falls under the drug lord’s domination, Deke finds himself falling for Ryan.

Now Deke has to choose between Ryan’s safety and his own future.

Review:

Bound for Trouble is EM Lynley’s first novel-length BDSM-themed book. This novel is not as light-hearted as the stories in the Delectable series or the recently release Out of the Gate. The main characters in Bound for Trouble are realistic, intriguing, broken and conflicted. This is a superb story that is teeming with action, hot sex and a bit of violence.

When readers first meet FBI agent Deke Kane, he is literally waking up from a nightmare. A bad decision during a drug raid not only has his career hitting rock bottom, but also his self-esteem is in the gutter. After all, what good is a lead FBI agent who doesn’t trust his own decisions? Not to mention the fact that his fellow agents and his superiors don’t trust him either. While Kane is waiting to be cleared for regular duty, the agent is spending “his days poring over Facebook and Instagram for idiots who posted photos of themselves committing crimes or spending ill-gotten gains.” Clearly he is depressed and dejected.

Even the white-collar unit got more action than Deke did on his desk.
Once he spotted something suspicious, he used a variety of techniques to locate the perp; then a team of “grown-up” agents got to make the collar. Deke got a silver star on his report card for the assist, but the takedown team got the gold star—and the glory.

He wasn’t sure how much longer he could endure this. If he wasn’t already a little fucked-up in the head, this would surely drive him around the bend. It was the Bureau’s way of easing him out when they couldn’t easily fire him. He’d heard from a friend who did a stint in Tokyo that when a Japanese company wanted to get rid of someone, they put him on an impossible task or put him in a room on his own and made him feel like an outcast in the company. Japanese companies didn’t like to fire people; it went against the corporate culture. Eventually, the guy would quit, and the company would save face.

Deke understood very well how successful that strategy must be. Every morning as he knotted his tie and prepared to leave his apartment, he wondered just how much longer he could keep this up. How many more days of mindless web surfing could he take before he either handed in his papers or just offed himself? Probably a good thing he didn’t have his service weapon after all.

Maybe that was for the best, he thought on nights like these when the dream—the nightmare—woke him up. Tonight he’d actually had the dream twice. That only happened once in a while, but he knew it didn’t bode well for his future.

Kane has one last chance to redeem himself. Maksim Petrov is a bad man. He is a criminal mastermind who seems to be just out the FBI’s reach at every turn. Capturing him is a high priority … allegedly. And that is where Ryan Griffiths enters the picture. A former stripper and prostitute, Ryan is trying to turn his life around. Ryan’s former boss and client is helping him on the condition that Ryan stays away from the strip club where he was dancing. Ryan wants nothing to do with his former strip club or anything affiliated with Petrov, but he feels an obligation to try to set things right for his friend Rocco, and that is why he agrees to help the FBI.

… maybe they realized he’d made up the story he’d told when he called the hotline, tying Petrov to a rent boy who’d gone missing. But they’d finally called him back in for a face-to-face, and this time Ryan had something real he didn’t think they could ignore: the gun conversation he’d overheard. But he’d fucked up again. Of course the FBI would be suspicious of someone volunteering information like that. What had he been thinking?

Maybe it was for the best. Ryan didn’t want to tangle with Maksim Petrov in any way, shape, or form, even via the FBI. People who went against him ended up dead. Even people who weren’t involved with him could get hurt.

He’d never forget that night two years earlier when he and his best friend, Rocco, had been partying with a trick in the Tidal Wave Inn. Ryan had left to get some more booze, and when he’d gotten back, he’d seen a figure with a shaved head leaving the room. Inside, Ryan had found Rocco dead and the trick bleeding out, both with their throats sliced open.

He’d called 911 and run like hell, hoping no one had seen him going in or out of the room. He’d stayed away from the Tidal Wave after that, and the cops had never caught the killer. Ryan had never seen him before or since—until his last week at Club Kiwi, when he saw the shaved-head killer shaking hands with Maksim Petrov and sitting down with him for a drink.

There had to be a connection between Petrov and Rocco’s murder.

Ryan and Deke are instantly attracted to each other. But Deke needs to hide his attraction since his career is at stake, and he is not officially out at his job.

Deke flipped open the file with the basic information he’d collected earlier. Not much, but intriguing. It would be the basis of an interesting interview. He watched as the guy tapped his fingertips on the tabletop as if he were playing an invisible piano.

Griffiths was quite a looker. Not just hot in his own right, he matched the kind of men Petrov had been seen with recently. Deke kept that in the back of his mind as he evaluated the information in Ryan Griffiths’ file. If Deke played this right and got his way, tempting Petrov with Ryan Griffiths would be like giving candy to a baby.  The usual technique would be to sweat the guy for a while.
Deke figured another twenty minutes would do it. He went into the observation room, sat, and checked his quarry out through the one-way glass.

Griffiths was wearing a pale-green polo shirt that hugged his upper body in all the right places. Glancing under the table, Deke noticed he was wearing shorts. He’d get a better look soon, but for now, he would enjoy the view.

Oh yeah, Deke wouldn’t mind some of this candy himself. He unhooked from the case for a minute and imagined how Ryan Griffiths would look naked, spread out on the interrogation-room table. Deke’s cock thickened, and his pants felt far too tight. Well, it never hurt to look. He’d heard plenty of comments from his colleagues when they had hot women in the room. What would Serah say if she knew how attracted Deke was to Ryan Griffiths?


The FBI investigation is intense, and Ryan, who winds up in the middle of the action, is in way over his head. Ryan is looking for love and someone to take care of him, and Petrov knows exactly what do and say to get Ryan to relax. The BDSM in the story runs the gamut from mild to intense to abusive. Lynley does a great job exploring not only the trust components of this lifestyle, but she also shows what happens when trust and power are abused.

There are some interesting plot twists in this story; not everything is as it seems, and Lynley does a great job keeping the reader captivated. With this intriguing cast of characters, Lynley has developed a great plot that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. With Bound for Trouble, Lynley shows not only her mastery of character development, but also her ability to tackle taboo subjects with finesse.


Thank you to EM Lynley and Pride Promotions for providing a review copy of this title in exchange for my honest opinion.







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Review by Jodi: Desires' Guardian by Tempeste O'Riley







Author: Tempeste O’Riley
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Rating: 4.5/5 Smooches







Blurb:

Desires Entwined: Book Two

Most people see Chase Manning as the party-boy twink he seems on the surface. Only James, Chase's BFF, knows the depth of his loyalty and the extent of the wounds Chase carries inside. When Chase meets Rhys Sayer, things don’t go well, but he can’t shake his attraction to the huge, sexy man.

Rhys is a man of contradictions and fear—a strange combination for a PI and bodyguard. He's in a bad place emotionally when he sets eyes on Chase for the first time. When Chase puts the moves on him, Rhys insults him, thwarting any possibility of a relationship. Rhys doesn’t see himself as a complicated man, but he dreads the very kind of connection he desires.

Just as they’re trying to overcome their uncertainties, Chase is put in harm’s way. Luckily Rhys and their friends have all the right talents to help Rhys save the man of his dreams.



Review:


When readers see Chase Manning in chapter one of Desires' Guardian, they meet a hung over party boy. But the fact that he literally jumps out of bed to go meet his best friend, James, for lunch, gives an insight into his character. Chase is the poster boy for the phrase "don’t judge a book by its cover".

Desires' Guardian  is the second book in the Desires Entwined series, and this book is more detailed and the characters more developed than the first book in the series. Although this book could be read as a standalone, it is more engaging if it is read after Designs of Desire. Reading the books in order provides a depth to the plot and characters that would be missed otherwise.

In the first book of the series, readers meet James and his best friend Chase. Although the first book concentrates on James and his budding relationship with Seth Burns, Chase plays a prominent role. Author Tempeste O’Riley does a great job developing Chase’s character. He is multidimensional. On the one hand, he is a bit of a bull dog when it comes to James, but he is vulnerable in many ways, which are explored throughout the pages of this book.

In Designs of Desire, O’Riley established the close bond between James and Chase. In addition to being James’ best friend, Chase has become a protector, mentor and, occasionally, caregiver. Chase knows the abuse his best friend has endured. And, in Desires' Guardian, O’Riley reveals that Chase has his secrets, too. The painting James does of Chase at the beginning of the novel depicts how James views his best friend, but Chase does not see himself that way, and it is clear that he projects a tough façade to avoid being hurt.

Chase’s attraction to Rhys Sayers is off-the-charts, but Chase refuses to get involved and becomes obnoxious around Rhys to avoid showing any vulnerability. Once readers meet Jonathan, Chase’s ex-boyfriend, Chase’s reluctance to get involved with Rhys, or anyone long term, becomes clear.

Chase turned the corner to pull up in front of Zarletti’s. A moment later, a motorcycle passed him. He paused a moment to take in the eye candy: the black and chrome Harley Softail and the tall, wide-shouldered man atop it. When he parked, he realized to whom the bike belonged and frowned, cursing his luck and his reaction.

There Rhys stood, peering at him from beside the motorcycle. Too bad the bike and those looks belong to such an ass hat. Since the man was staring at him so blatantly, Chase decided to return the favor. He took a moment to let his gaze wander from the man’s deep auburn hair and perfect five o’clock shadow to his delicious athletic build, wide shoulders, and the defined pecs his black T-shirt served to accentuate, not hide, even with the leather coat half covering him. Rhys was huge at close to six and a half feet. He continued his perusal down Rhys to his thick, muscled legs and his chunky black leather boots. Chase allowed himself a soft sigh. He took just as long on the return trip, making a true production of it. When his gaze finally landed on Rhys’s deep green eyes again, he smirked, turned, and made sure to put a little extra swish into his hips as he sauntered up the sidewalk to the front doors.

Rhys presents himself as tough, aloof and a bit menacing, but Seth describes Rhys as being a gentle giant. Rhys is clearly attracted to Chase, but the first time the two men meet, Rhys is rude and insulting, and Chase dismisses Rhys as an asshole.

Despite the fact that Rhys wants to keep his distance from Chase, his attraction is undeniable. Chase hits all of Rhys’s buttons, but Rhys has been burned before, and he is not eager to play with fire. Despite his better judgment, Rhys agrees to have Chase work for his PI company.

Rhys took his time parking and dismounting his motorcycle. He hoped to maintain his aloof demeanor, though God knew it was hard to do with Chase standing there waiting on him. Chase was dressed in a light blue button-down shirt with fine dusky blue vertical stripes that conformed to his lean and lithe chest and abs. On his slender hips hung a pair of low-rise black jeans that were faded on the thighs, ones he was certain Chase knew showed off his form well. His black leather belt had a twin, double buckle that matched the leather wrist cuff he always wore.

Rhys’s gaze flicked up to Chase’s face, and he looked into his eyes, mesmerized by the swirling colors framed by thick chestnut lashes. Chase’s eyes were one part blue and three parts green, with the most beautiful flecks of gold in them that seemed to follow the path of where one color merged into the other. He had never seen eyes with two distinct colors like Chase’s, much less with the intricate, almost lace-like patterns throughout the iris. Then he fixed on the silver hoop through the full, pouty bottom lip on the most beautiful, delicate, yet masculine face he had ever seen.

He broke from gazing at Chase with a slow blink, trying desperately to regain his self-control and professionalism.

      O’Riley’s writing touches on realism as the two characters struggle with their attraction for each other despite the fact that both are wary of getting involved romantically. The fact that the men are stubborn and lack good communication skills is frustrating, but, again, very realistic.

Rhys lay sprawled across the top step of his back porch later that evening. He looked across the backyard of his house-slash-business, taking in all the little details he and Mark had put into the place. Most people never saw more than the front office, but the back was a lush area with paths, and plants and flowers when it was warm. Not right then, of course, thanks to the dry, cold weather, but he could still envision what it would look like again come spring.

The cold beer in his hand was probably warmer than the outside temperature, but Rhys didn’t care. He had to think, and to do that he needed space that didn’t spark memories from the night before. He had been both wrong and right about Chase, though he wasn’t sure which bothered him more. The man was beyond his dreams and fantasies in bed, but was either hostile to him or ignored him completely outside it. He knew the latter was his own fault for not ’fessing up about why he’d acted like such a douche at the club. That didn’t explain why Chase had run in the middle of the night or why he’d refused both calls and texts.

He wanted to believe the sweet, protective man he had witnessed with James during the stalking was the true person inside, but the clubbing, flamboyant attitude when he didn’t know Rhys was there made him doubt. However, Chase leaving before dawn kept the fear that he was merely a notch on Chase’s bedpost very fresh and real.

The subplot of the story has Rhys and his brother Dal investigating a serious of alleged gay suicides. Rhys believes these crimes are murder, and the investigation becomes more intense as more bodies are discovered. Chase is helping with background research.  And, as the investigation builds, it takes a strange twist that not only brings past crashing down on him, but also leaves him vulnerable and puts his life in danger.

      Tempeste O’Riley does a wonderful job developing this story. The focus of the story is on the romance between Chase and Rhys, but the subplots in the story reveal the depth with which O’Riley has designed this series.  O’Riley’s prose are beautiful and descriptive. The dialogue serves the purpose of moving the story along and providing insights into the characters. O’Riley’s characters are multi-dimensional, strong, vulnerable, and sometimes leave their true selves between the lines of prose and dialogue. The dimensions of the characters are often revealed through subtle actions, and that is what makes this book a great read.




Thank you Tempeste O’Riley for providing a review copy of this title in exchange for my honest opinion.




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