Tag Archives: Josephine Myles

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Ebook Giveaway: Handle With Care by Josephine Myles [CONTEST CLOSED]

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Many thanks to Josephine Myles for donating an ebook copy of her forthcoming m/m romance, Handle with Care, for a lucky commenter to win! Handle with Care will be released by Samhain Publishing on April 24.

The best things in life aren’t free…they’re freely given.

Ben Lethbridge doesn’t have many vices left. After raising his little sister to adulthood, he wasted no time making up for the youth he lost to responsible parenting. Two years of partying it up – and ignoring his diabetes – has left him tethered to a home dialysis regimen.

He can do his job from his flat, fortunately, but most of his favourite things are forbidden. Except for DVD porn…and fantasizing over Ollie, the gorgeous, purple-haired skateboarder who delivers it.

Their banter is the highlight of Ben’s lonely day, but his illness-ravaged body is the cruel reality that prevents him from believing they’ll do anything more than flirt. Not to mention the age gap. Still, Ben figures there’s no harm in sprucing himself up a bit.

Then one day, a package accidentally splits open, revealing Ben’s dirty little secret…and an unexpected connection that leaves him wondering if he’s been reading Ollie wrong all this time. There’s only one way to find out: risk showing Ollie every last scar. And hope “far from perfect” is good enough for a chance at love.

Product Warnings
Contains superhero porn comics and a cute, accident-prone delivery guy with colour-changing hair. Readers may experience coffee cravings, an unexpected liking for bad mullets, and the urge to wrap Ollie up and take him home.

Excerpt (scroll down and select tab)

Other Books by Jo

About Jo

Eccentric Englishwoman, absent-minded mother, proud bisexual, shameless tea-addict, serial textile craft hobbyist, iconoclastic logophile and writer of homoerotic romance – Josephine Myles is all these things at once. She has held down more different jobs than any sane person ever should, and is fundamentally rebellious, preferring the overgrown yet enticing path rather than the wide and obvious one.

Jo once spent two years living on a slowly decaying narrowboat, and was determined that she would one day use the experience as fodder for a novel. It may have taken a few years, but she got there in the end. She usually does.

She lives in rural Somerset, in the West Country of England, with her husband and four year old daughter. Currently self-employed, she gave up a career teaching English Literature to look after her daughter, who has Down’s Syndrome. When she isn’t working, writing or spending time with friends and family, she bakes cakes and attempts to finish off some of the textile projects she has started, with varying degrees of success. She can occasionally be spotted wearing her creations, as no one else will.

In her short stories Jo is particularly interested in exploring how characters react in the heat of the moment, and what they reveal about their deepest desires and insecurities. She most enjoys writing contemporary tales about unconventional men overcoming their fears through love, but ventures into sci-fi and paranormal when her muse insists. He can be a right difficult bastard at times.

Contest Rules

  • To enter, leave a comment stating that you are entering the contest. Contest closes 7 pm CDT, Monday, April 23.
  • By entering the contest, you’re confirming that you are at least 18 years old.
  • If you haven’t commented before, your comment will not be visible until after I moderate it. Please do not leave a second comment because your first doesn’t show up! The blog gnomes will decide your comments are spam and then only ritual dust bunny sacrifice will salvage your entry…
  • If your comment is actually an advertisement or if your CommentLuv link turns it into an advertisement, your comment will be deleted. (Most of you do not need to worry – this refers to some pretty clever comment spam.)
  • Winners will be selected by random number.
  • You must leave a valid email address in the “Email” portion of the comment form.
  • Please make sure that your spam filter allows email from stumblingoverchaos.com!
  • If a winner doesn’t respond to my congratulations email within 48 hours, I will select another winner.
  • If you win, please respect the author’s intellectual property and don’t make copies of the ebook for anyone else.
  • This contest is open worldwide!

*thlurp* -Mayhem

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Welcome to Linkity Land!

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Congrats to Anke, who won Face Value (Sanctuary #3) by RJ Scott! Face Value will be released by Silver Publishing on April 7.

Congrats to blodeuedd, who won Fortune Hunter (Brook Street #2) by Ava March! Fortune Hunter will be released by Carina Press on April 9.

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  • If you’re amused by vintage ads that have homoerotic overtones, you must check out Kate Roman’s tumblr.

Teh Cute

Reading Update
Scrap Metal by Harper Fox. ebook. Excellent m/m romance about a linguistics student who returns to his family’s sheep farm after his mother and brother are killed, leaving his grandfather to work the farm alone. When someone breaks into one of the barns, he has no idea that things are about to take a turn for the better. Make sure you have tissues handy for this one!
The Rare Event by PD Singer. ebook. Very good m/m romance about two radically different hedge fund traders before the subprime mortgage meltdown: one takes too many risks in both his personal and professional lives, while the other is far more careful in both. He finally realizes that loving the risktaker, who scoffs at monogamy, is tearing him apart… The heavy focus on the stock market and stock trading details very nearly lost me in the early part of the book, but I persevered and got sucked into the rest of the story.
Handle with Care by Josephine Myles. ebook arc. Very good m/m romance about a diabetic computer programmer who works from home because he’s on dialysis, and the high point of his days is when the cute purple-haired skatepunk stops by to deliver a package. Bonding over a shared love of the X-Men, they become friends… and then everything changes in a day. I must confess that there was something I really felt needed to happen that didn’t, which was what prevented this from being a five-star read for me.
Face Value (Sanctuary #3) by RJ Scott. ebook arc. Very good m/m romantic suspense picking up where the second book left off – the guy they rescued is safe… for now. But will his doctor be able to keep him safe?
Ambush (True Colors #2) by Clare London. ebook short. Steamy short m/m scene between Zeke and Miles that will leave Miles with some distracting memories of his office.
Crooked by Missouri Dalton. ebook short. Good short m/m paranormal romance about a cop who goes astray after killing the monster who killed his partner. This could easily have been much longer (so much plot! So few words!) and had an extremely open ending (not really even HFN) that makes me fear one of those Torquere serials.
On the Other Hand, Death (Donald Strachey #2) by Richard Stevenson. Good gay mystery in which Don’s hired by a sly developer to find out who vandalized a lesbian couple’s barn, in the hope that they’ll be more willing to sell their property out of gratitude.
On the Dotted Line by Alexa Snow. ebook. Good m/m romance about a guy who’s deep in debt and falling further behind, but none of his friends have any idea; neither does the doctor he starts to date. Something about the writing style felt really awkward to me.
Drowning in You by AR Moler. ebook. Ok m/m romantic suspense about two DEA agents who become much closer after one of them nearly dies… This felt really choppy – it jumped from scene to scene instead of transitioning. Also, the ending leaves it open to become a series.
View from the Top by Carson Shepherd. free online. Very short steamy m/m scene that just doesn’t have enough context to really work.
Not That Type of Guy by Sara York. ebook. Meh m/m romance about a CIA assassin who’s been in denial that he’s gay until something happens on the job that makes him reevaluate things. The plot was over-the-top implausible and the relationship between the two MCs had me rolling my eyes.

“I’m sure I can come up with something to be crabby about…” -Chaos

Contests, Reading

Beat Your Winter Blues Blog Tour: Favorite Winter Movie

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Welcome to the April 4th stop on the Beat Your Winter Blues Blog Tour! Make sure you leave a comment for your chance to win the tour’s grand prize: a $200USD gift certificate to the e-tailer of your choice.

Don’t forget to check out Ethan Stone’s Subject 13, Clare London’s Ambush, JL Merrow’s Camwolf, or SA Meade’s Orion Rising

Coming Soon: Andrew Grey’s Legal Tender

Favorite Winter Movie

Kate McMurray
When I was thinking about all of my favorite movies, I realized almost all of them take place during the summer and/or in California (and, glancing over my DVD shelf, it looks like a lot of them are teen movies from the 90s, hmm). One of my favorite movies, though, may not count as a winter-themed movie per se, but it takes place during a time of year when it’s certainly cold enough to wear coats and scarves. It’s the musical Once, which came out a few years ago. If you’ve never seen it – stop what you’re doing and go rent it! Okay, I’ll tell you about it: it’s the story of a guy who busks on the streets of Dublin and a girl who is down on her luck; they meet and literally make beautiful music together. The music is amazing – one of the best movie soundtracks ever, if you’re into folksy acoustic music, which is kind of my sweet spot – and the story is heartbreaking, and the whole thing is beautiful. I heartily recommend it.

Heidi Cullinan
My favorite winter movie is Mystery, Alaska. It stars Russell Crowe before he was RUSSELL CROWE and is about this local hockey team that ends up playing a game against a pro team. It’s so small town and quirky and so full of winter that I watch it in the summer whenever it’s too hot to think.

Lara Brukz
My favorite winter movie let me think…Die Hard. No it’s not a porn movie could make a great title though. I’m talking about the one with Bruce Willis. Yes it’s a winter time movie – they were celebrating Christmas. You remember: “Now I have a machine gun. Ho ho ho.” John McLane a super-hero-cop who fears nothing (except heights), takes on the villains, armed with one handgun and plenty of balls. I still remember sitting in the theater with my mom and Bruce Willis busting out that window swinging down on a fire hose and smearing that blood all down the window. Hell yeah!! Not only is it a thrill-a-minute ride, but it has one of the best villains who hums “Ode to Joy”, dialogue that crackles with wit, and a lot of very impressive pyrotechnics. Just pop me some popcorn baby and serve me up some Die Hard! “Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker!”

Josephine Myles
It’s hard to choose an absolute favourite – I adore It’s a Wonderful Life and look forward to watching it every year around Christmas time. James Stewart is one of my all time favourite movie stars and the film always brings a tear to my eye. My other favourite would have to be Groundhog Day – I watched that film back in 1993 when it first came out and have adored it ever since. Yes, Andie MacDowell is pretty irritating, but Bill Murray steals every scene away from her anyway, so I don’t mind. Not only is the plot concept genius, but the film is by turns hysterically funny, life-affirming and moving. I also love the way my enjoyment of the film has grown with each rewatching – there is always something new to notice going on in the background. I want my own Groundhog Day experience, so I can learn how to play honky tonk piano like Bill does! I’ve just realised I’ve chosen two films where the main characters attempt suicide. Hmmm… they’re still uplifting, though!

Andrew Grey
My favorite winter movie has to be the classic White Christmas. I watch it every year and I’m always fascinated by how beautiful the women are and by the incredible dancing. Of course it’s a movie, so everything is faked, but the music is wonderful and I always seem to immediately get into the spirit of the season after watching Bing Crosby trying to woo Rosemary Clooney.

***

Kate McMurray: Is there anything better than snuggling under a blanket with a book, a cup of tea, and the cat? I love to bake, too, so my kitchen sees a lot of action in the winter. (You gotta have cookies and pie to go with that cup of hot tea!) I also relieve stress by knitting, so it’s nice when the cold weather rolls in and I can finally wear all the handknit sweaters and scarves I’ve accumulated over the years. Plus, my winter wardrobe is pretty cute if I do say so myself.

Heidi Cullinan: Well, I’m an outlier because I love winter, but maybe that’s because I love our survival techniques so well. Winter at our house means watching a lot of TV with my husband and daughter, snuggling in chairs under blankets with cats draped all over me, and snuggling under the down comforter. That said, the bane of my existence in winter is cold toes. My solution? Two layers of socks, the top one fuzzy, and thick house slippers one size too large to accommodate the socks.

Lara Brukz: Another lover of winter, no blues here. Summer in the south keeps me inside more than winter does. When it actually gets cold enough I have my husband go chop up fire wood. I demand that we need extra wood just so I can watch his muscles flex as he is cutting. So getting busy in front of a nice blazing fire in the fireplace is an excellent way of beating my winter blues.

Andrew Grey: In order to break up the winter months, Dominic and I host a number of small dinner parties with friends. We both have a tendency to try to hibernate through the snow and cold, so hosting these small parties forces us to spruce up the house, get out the good china, and fill our home with some winter warmth and cheer. It’s also an excuse for Dominic to try new concoctions on people other than me.

***

Sixteen authors are here to do their best to make your winter brighter in January, February, March, and April. (Unless you’re south of the equator, and then we’ll just be jealous of your summer.) Every Wednesday will be a new stop on the tour (see schedule below). Be sure to leave a comment at each stop for up to sixteen chances at the grand prize: a $200 USD gift certificate to the e-retailer of your choice. Also keep an eye out for links to individual authors’ sites on their release dates for a chance to win some free books.

January 11: How We Beat the Winter Blues (hosted by Coffee & Porn in the Morning)

January 18: Favorite Wintertime Activities (hosted by Josephine Myles)

January 25: Join us for a January getaway (hosted by Andrew Grey)

February 1: Winter in My Backyard (hosted by Lou Harper)

February 8: “If I could get away right now, I’d go to…” (hosted by Ellis Carrington)

February 15: Valentine’s Day (hosted by J.L. Merrow)

February 22: Authors by the Fireside (hosted by Kate McMurray)

February 29: Join us for a February getaway (hosted by Z.A. Maxfield)

March 7: Things to Do in a Blizzard (hosted by S.A. Meade)

March 14: St. Patrick’s Day (hosted by Clare London)

March 21: Spring Break (hosted by Blaine Arden)

March 28: Join us for a March Getaway (hosted by Tales from the Writing Cave)

April 4: Favorite Winter Movies (hosted byStumbling Over Chaos)

April 11: Signs of Spring (hosted by J.P. Barnaby)

April 18: Join us for an April Getaway (hosted by Marie Sexton)

April 25: Farewell (hosted by Joyfully Jay)

April 30: Grand Prize Announcement (hosted by Heidi Cullinan)

***

“What makes you think I’m slee… zzzzzzz…” -Mayhem

Congrats to arzu, who won A Hole in God’s Pocket by KZ Snow! A Hole in God’s Pocket is being released by Dreamspinner Press today.

Congrats to Judi P, who won Daybreak for a Stolen Child (Stolen Child #4) by Anna Mayle! Daybreak for a Stolen Child  is being released today by Resplendence Publishing.

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Linkity has eyes like limpid pools

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Congrats to Morgana, who won Academic Pursuits by Lou Harper!

Congrats to Demetra, who won The Swimming Swan (Cob Brothers #2) by Stephani Hecht and Amber Kell!

Contests

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Think, Do, Make, Learn

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Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

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Reading Update
Cinder (A CinderFella Story) by Marie Sexton. ebook. Excellent fairy tale m/m romance based on Cinderella. It was cute and sweet and left a smile on my face.
The Rebuilding Year by Kaje Harper. ebook. arc. Excellent m/m romantic suspense about a firefighter who was seriously injured in a fire a year ago and is now going to med school. When he falls down some stairs on campus, the head groundskeeper comes to his rescue and they slowly become friends. What made this book so amazing was how it felt organic to me – the story slowly built and grew and developed… and that worked really, really well. Recommended. Comes out March 6 – and look for a contest here the week before. 🙂
Beyond Moonlight (Lucky Moon 1.5) by Piper Vaughn & MJ O’Shea. free ebook collection. Excellent collection of three short stories that take place after Moonlight Becomes You, but before the forthcoming The Luckiest. The first one tied up a loose end from Moonlight, and the second two bridge into The Luckiest.
Fall into the Sun by Val Kovalin. ebook. Very good m/m romance about two guys who were best friends and then lovers when they were growing up, until one of them broke the other’s heart. It’s 20 years later – is this a second chance? Or will fear and family split them apart again?
Shattered Glass by Dani Alexander. ebook. Very good m/m romantic suspense about a guy with a fiancee and a trust fund who works as a police detective and uses humor to keep people at an emotional distance. But for some reason his defenses start to break down when he sees a beautiful young man working at a diner… wearing bunny slippers. This is one wild ride of a book! In fact, I hid in the bathroom at work to finish reading because I couldn’t wait until evening to see how things turned out. Definitely looking forward to reading the author’s next book.
First Impressions (2nd ed) by Josephine Myles. ebook short. Very good short m/m romance about an artist who becomes fascinated by the guy wearing a suit and crazy socks who he sits across from on the train every day.
Like the Taste of Summer by Kaje Harper. free ebook short. Very good short m/m romance that flashes back to how a long-term couple got together.
Tougher To Love by Diana DeRicci. ebook. Good m/m romance about a deeply closeted motorcycle mechanic who unexpectedly becomes the guardian of his teenage niece…. and fascinated by the cop who brought her back into his life.
Why Isn’t Becky Twitchell Dead? (Tom & Scott #2) by Mark Richard Zubro. Good gay mystery in which high school teacher Tom is asked to help out a student accused of murdering his girlfriend. I really enjoy the dynamic between Tom and his partner Scott.
The Only Good Priest (Tom & Scott #3) by Mark Richard Zubro. Good gay mystery about Tom and Scott getting involved in the investigation of the suspicious death of a priest who ministered to the gay community. This one was kind of all over the place…
Chicago by Shae Connor. ebook short. Good short m/m romance about a guy who finally realizes that his older, mostly long-distance boyfriend is a jerk and dumps him. And then he meets an absolute sweetheart of a guy…
Under One Roof by Diana DeRicci. ebook short. Good short m/m romance about a writer who rents out part of his house to a cop newly moved to the area. Neither is aware the other is gay as they mutually lust after each other.
Fire Balls by Tara Lain. ebook. Good m/m romance about a flamboyant artist with a crush on a hunky firefighter – a hunky firefighter who, though gay, stays away from flamboyant guys, even if he finds them attractive.
Packing Heat by Kele Moon. ebook. Steamy m/m romance about a firefighter who thinks his straight cop roommate is going to want to move after their drunken makeout session…

“So itchy!” -Chaos

Contests, Reading

Ebook Giveaway: First Impressions #1 by Josephine Myles [CONTEST CLOSED]

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Congrats to Shaz, who won Giving In (Wanting #2) by Piper Vaughn! Giving In is being released by Less Than Three Press today.

Many thanks to Josephine Myles for donating an ebook copy of her freshly released short m/m romance, First Impressions, for a lucky commenter to win. Plus everyone can read the second book in this trilogy, Fuzzy, for free!

When ugly socks attract.

Surly artist Jez just can’t help staring at the brightly colored socks of the businessman who sits opposite him on the train every day. He weaves a whole history for the mysterious stranger in a vain attempt to stave off his attraction, but it only ends up feeding his bizarre obsession. Then one hot morning, Jez finally snaps and starts sketching…

***

This is the 2nd electronic edition of this title, originally published by Torquere Press. The main updates are new cover art, typesetting and minor editorial corrections, so readers who own the first edition have no need to purchase it again.

Excerpt

Other Books by Jo

About Jo

Eccentric Englishwoman, absent-minded mother, proud bisexual, shameless tea-addict, serial textile craft hobbyist, iconoclastic logophile and writer of homoerotic romance – Josephine Myles is all these things at once. She has held down more different jobs than any sane person ever should, and is fundamentally rebellious, preferring the overgrown yet enticing path rather than the wide and obvious one.

Jo once spent two years living on a slowly decaying narrowboat, and was determined that she would one day use the experience as fodder for a novel. It may have taken a few years, but she got there in the end. She usually does.

She lives in rural Somerset, in the West Country of England, with her husband and four year old daughter. Currently self-employed, she gave up a career teaching English Literature to look after her daughter, who has Down’s Syndrome. When she isn’t working, writing or spending time with friends and family, she bakes cakes and attempts to finish off some of the textile projects she has started, with varying degrees of success. She can occasionally be spotted wearing her creations, as no one else will.

In her short stories Jo is particularly interested in exploring how characters react in the heat of the moment, and what they reveal about their deepest desires and insecurities. She most enjoys writing contemporary tales about unconventional men overcoming their fears through love, but ventures into sci-fi and paranormal when her muse insists. He can be a right difficult bastard at times.

Contest Rules

  • To enter, leave a comment stating that you are entering the contest. Contest closes 7 pm CST, Thursday, February 16.
  • By entering the contest, you’re confirming that you are at least 18 years old.
  • If you haven’t commented before, your comment will not be visible until after I moderate it. Please do not leave a second comment because your first doesn’t show up! The blog gnomes will decide your comments are spam and then only ritual dust bunny sacrifice will salvage your entry…
  • If your comment is actually an advertisement or if your CommentLuv link turns it into an advertisement, your comment will be deleted. (Most of you do not need to worry – this refers to some pretty clever comment spam.)
  • Winners will be selected by random number.
  • You must leave a valid email address in the “Email” portion of the comment form.
  • Please make sure that your spam filter allows email from stumblingoverchaos.com!
  • If you have an email account with AOL or Netscape, I will not be able to send email to you.
  • If a winner doesn’t respond to my congratulations email within 48 hours, I will select another winner.
  • If you win, please respect the author’s intellectual property and don’t make copies of the ebook for anyone else.
  • This contest is open worldwide!

“Hmph. I am not a hovercraft.” -Chaos

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

In which linkity contemplates the merits of winter hibernation

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Congrats to Mandy B, who won Forever in One Second by Finn Marlowe!

Congrats to Cathy M and Alder, who each won their choice of Saving Valor (Fanged Love #1) or Chalice (Planetary Submissives #1) by Amber Kell! Saving Valor (Fanged Love #1) was released by Silver Publishing on January 14. Chalice (Planetary Submissives #1) was released by Total-E-Bound on January 16.

Contests

Bookity

  • RJ Scott explains how Edit Minion works – it’s not going to replace actual editors and proofreaders, but it can certainly help you spot issues with your writing.

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Do, Learn, Make, Think

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Crafty

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Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

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Teh Cute

Reading Update
Galley Proof by Eric Arvin. ebook. Excellent gay fiction (with romantic elements) about an author who lives a very predictable, safe life ruled by lists and habit… until his attractive new editor shakes things up. As with so many books by Eric Arvin, this book was simultaneously fun, funny, and thought-provoking – pretty much like life itself.
Pole Star by Josephine Myles. ebook short. arc. Excellent short and smutty m/m romance about a stripper who gets injured onstage and ends up in the emergency room in his firefighter costume, flirting with the cute radiographer. I had really good intentions of waiting until closer to the release date to read and review this one, but… I couldn’t resist. 🙂
Tailor Made by Josephine Myles. ebook. arc. Sweet and smutty m/m romance about an unapologetically slutty art student who wants to get his advisor in bed. But he’s not expecting to find himself so drawn to the fashion student he tries to shanghai into helping him with his senior project…
The Heart of Texas (Texas #1) by RJ Scott. ebook. Very good over-the-top m/m romance reminiscent of the tv show Dallas, complete with oil wells, villains, lies, a marriage-of-convenience, and more!
Heatstroke by Taylor V. Donovan. free ebook. Very good m/m romance told via nearly 50-year old journal entries being read by a young man trying to figure out the mystery of why his cold grandmother is so adamant he stay out of her attic.
Raven’s Mark (Sandpipers #2) by Jade Archer. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a chef who becomes fascinated by Raven, the guy who’s just started watching the owners’ son along with his own. However, Raven suffers from crippling PTSD… and his past hasn’t given up on him yet.
A Life Without You (Boston Boys #1) by Erica Pike. ebook. Good m/m romance about a gay college student who has a crush on his engaged straight best friend and roommate… his apparently bi-curious straight best friend. Emotions definitely run high in this one (and the POV is first-person present), but it worked for me. And I’m very curious to see who the next book will be about!
Just Like Cats and Dogs by BA Tortuga. Good m/m paranormal romance about an orphaned panther shifter who grew up with a pack of wolf shifters, but was never really accepted. So when he runs into a wolf shifter who tormented him while they were growing up, he’s surprised at the attraction between them. The repetitive style of writing isn’t so noticeable for short works, but it definitely grated during this longer book.
There’s Cock in This Book (The Hockey Story) by Isa K. free ebook short. Good short m/m story about a deeply closeted minor league hockey player who survives by keeping his head down and blending in… until the new guy on the team hits on him. With a bit more proofing and a less abrupt ending, this would have been a Very Good read.
How to Keep the Love of Your Life (After Mistaking Him for a Serial Killer) by Maureen Willmann. ebook. Ok m/m romance about a guy who thinks someone is following him right up to the door of his apartment… and it turns out to be his neighbor across the hall. Too sugary sweet and implausible for me. Also, so very tired of stalkers.
The Man Who Spoke My Name (Joey #2) by Azalea Moone. free ebook short. Meh short m/m story about a guy torn between the ex who cheated on him and the guy he slept with on New Year’s Eve.

“…zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…” -Chaos

Contests, Reading

Ebook Giveaway: Tailor Made by Josephine Myles [CONTEST CLOSED]

70 Comments

Congrats to Majken, who won Raven’s Mark (Sandpipers #2) by Jade Archer! Raven’s Mark was released yesterday by Total-E-Bound.

Many thanks to Josephine Myles for donating an ebook copy of her forthcoming m/m romance, Tailor Made, for a lucky commenter to win! Tailor Made will be released by Amber Allure on January 22.

When Mr. Wrong measures up just right!

College tart Felix McAvoy is used to causing a stir with his conceptual art pranks, but for his final show he’s planning something even more outrageous. In a last ditch attempt to seduce his jaded tutor, Felix plans to wear the canvas in a subversive display. However, if he’s going to do this right he’ll need a tailor-made canvas suit. Fortunately, he knows just the tailor to turn to for the favour – and Felix isn’t shy about offering favours of a very different kind in return.

First year fashion student Andrew Wheeler knows Felix by reputation only – and plans to keep things that way. Andrew’s determined to save himself for the man of his dreams, and Felix couldn’t be more different from his ideal Mr. Right. There’s only one use Andrew will contemplate for Felix’s body: a model for his end of year project. Trouble is, it’s going to involve a lot of close contact with a nearly naked Felix, and Andrew’s never had temptation quite so close at hand!

Excerpt (scroll down)

Other Books by Jo

About Jo

Eccentric Englishwoman, absent-minded mother, proud bisexual, shameless tea-addict, serial textile craft hobbyist, iconoclastic logophile and writer of homoerotic romance – Josephine Myles is all these things at once. She has held down more different jobs than any sane person ever should, and is fundamentally rebellious, preferring the overgrown yet enticing path rather than the wide and obvious one.

Jo once spent two years living on a slowly decaying narrowboat, and was determined that she would one day use the experience as fodder for a novel. It may have taken a few years, but she got there in the end. She usually does.

She lives in rural Somerset, in the West Country of England, with her husband and four year old daughter. Currently self-employed, she gave up a career teaching English Literature to look after her daughter, who has Down’s Syndrome. When she isn’t working, writing or spending time with friends and family, she bakes cakes and attempts to finish off some of the textile projects she has started, with varying degrees of success. She can occasionally be spotted wearing her creations, as no one else will.

In her short stories Jo is particularly interested in exploring how characters react in the heat of the moment, and what they reveal about their deepest desires and insecurities. She most enjoys writing contemporary tales about unconventional men overcoming their fears through love, but ventures into sci-fi and paranormal when her muse insists. He can be a right difficult bastard at times.

Contest Rules

  • To enter, leave a comment stating that you are entering the contest. Contest closes 7 pm CST, Monday, January 23.
  • By entering the contest, you’re confirming that you are at least 18 years old.
  • If you haven’t commented before, your comment will not be visible until after I moderate it. Please do not leave a second comment because your first doesn’t show up! The blog gnomes will decide your comments are spam and then only ritual dust bunny sacrifice will salvage your entry…
  • If your comment is actually an advertisement or if your CommentLuv link turns it into an advertisement, your comment will be deleted. (Most of you do not need to worry – this refers to some pretty clever comment spam.)
  • Winners will be selected by random number.
  • You must leave a valid email address in the “Email” portion of the comment form.
  • Please make sure that your spam filter allows email from stumblingoverchaos.com!
  • If you have an email account with AOL or Netscape, I will not be able to send email to you.
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*making happy paws* -Chaos

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Linkity of the Doomed

18 Comments

Congrats to Fehu, who won Crescendo (Song of the Fallen #2) by Rachel Haimowitz!

Congrats to SueM, who won Men Under the Mistletoe by Ava March, Josh Lanyon, Harper Fox, and KA Mitchell! Men Under the Mistletoe will be released on December 5 by Carina Press. (The stories will also be released separately.)

Congrats to Tracey D, who won While Under the Influence (Perfect Timing #8) by Kim Dare! While Under the Influence will be released by Total-E-Bound on December 5.

Not enough linkity for you today? You could check out last week’s poor neglected linkity… 😉

Contests

Bookity

Ebookity

Think, Do, Make, Learn

Holidity

Gift Guidity

Cookity

Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

  • Toilet paper personality types. (Hmm. I have to keep the toilet paper in the cabinet under the sink, protected by a childproof lock, or Chaos turns it into confetti.)

Teh Cute

Reading Update
Men Under the Mistletoe by Ava March, Harper Fox, Josh Lanyon, & KA Mitchell. ebook collection. Another exceptional collection of holiday-themed m/m romance from Carina Press. Ava March’s historical was very good. (Poor Sasha! Then… poor Thomas!) Harper Fox’s story drew me in slowly, then seduced me utterly. So good! Its excellent epilogue should serve as the standard to which all other epilogues should strive. Josh Lanyon’s story was a pretty good read, but left me with too many unanswered questions to be truly satisfying. Finally, KA Mitchell’s story kept me wondering how things were going to turn out until the absolute end.
Winter Warmers by Clare London, Chrissy Munder, Lou Harper, Josephine Myles, & JL Merrow. ebook collection. This m/m romance holiday collection is perfectly titled – these are heartwarming, cozy tales that will help you find your holiday spirit as you curl up on your couch with your ebook reader. (Yes, they are also sexy tales. I know you were wondering!) 😉
Simple Gifts (Cornwall Novellas #2) by LB Gregg. ebook short. Very good short m/m holiday romance about an emotionally closed off bar owner who’s dragged to a holiday party, where he runs into the guy who loved and left him for the military without a word ten years ago.
Dudleytown (Cornwall Novellas #1) by LB Gregg. ebook short. reread. Very good Halloween-themed m/m romance about some college students taking a “shortcut” on their drive home for the weekend. Things go a bit more spectacularly awry than is usual for such shortcuts… Plenty of trademark L.B. humor and insight make for an entertainingly suspenseful read.
Trompe L’oeil by KC Burn. ebook. Very good paranormal m/m romance about a history professor who’s been a bit of a hermit since he dumped his cheating boyfriend six months ago. When he moves into a new apartment, his sister gives him a mysteriously compelling nude portrait of a Depression-era artist…
“A Calling for Pleasure” (Lars & Rael #1) by JL Merrow (from The Care and Feeding of Demons). short from ebook collection. I just read “A Calling for Pleasure” because it’s the first story in an m/m paranormal romance series by J.L. Merrow about two detectives for the Paranormal Enforcement Agency. In this short, the detectives are after a succubus who’s leaving a trail of dead guys behind her. The male detective (non-romantic detective pairing, not to worry) becomes fascinated by a male succubus (why didn’t they just call him an incubus?!) who’s picked up during the investigation…
A Blast from the Past (Lars & Rael #2) by JL Merrow. ebook. Good short paranormal m/m romance in which the detectives are trying to catch a demonic firestarter.
A Wish Too Far (Lars & Rael #3) by JL Merrow. ebook. In this one, our detectives are after a mysterious person who’s making and pushing pills that grant wishes… slightly twisted.
Broken Memories (In the Shadow of the Wolf #2) by Diane Adams & RJ Scott. ebook. Good paranormal m/m romance about the wolf shifter rescued at the end of the last book, who’s terrified of shifting and can’t remember much from before his rescue. I don’t think this book was long enough for the amount of story being told. At times, things seemed to jump ahead inexplicably, as if parts were missing.
Someone Special by TC Blue. ebook. Good holiday m/m romance about a photographer working as a Santaland elf who gets involved with a somewhat prickly, time-crunched guy also working as an elf. This started out much stronger than it finished – the last 1/4 of the book got painfully sugary and repetitive.
Tribe (Todd Mills #2) by RD Zimmerman. Pretty good gay mystery in which an old friend of Todd’s reveals secrets kept since their college days as some creepy fundamentalists with nefarious intent close in. I didn’t like this as much as I liked the first book – way too much time spent with the creepy fundamentalists.
Working It Out by Sara York. ebook. Meh m/m romance about a gym owner whose partner died six months ago. He’s surprised to find himself with feelings for a handsome closeted doctor. Such a frustrating read! The main characters’ intentions and emotions seemed to flip flop on every page. There were not one but two psycho women intent on seducing the gay main characters. The writing was choppy and simplistic. *sigh*

“What a long week! I’m exhausted!” -Mayhem

Contests, Reading

Ebook Giveaway: Winter Warmers by by Josephine Myles, JL Merrow, Clare London, Chrissy Munder, & Lou Harper [CONTEST CLOSED]

61 Comments

Congrats to Hissy, who won Coffin Dodger (Night Wardens #2) by Stephani Hecht! Coffin Dodger is being released today by eXtasy Books.

Many thanks to Josephine Myles, JL Merrow, Clare London, Chrissy Munder, and Lou Harper for donating an ebook copy of their freshly released m/m seasonal anthology, Winter Warmers, for a lucky commenter to win!

Mulled wine. Butterscotch kisses. Hideous sweaters. Candy at the beach, or a trip to a sex shop in Amsterdam. And the man of your dreams, wrapped around you…

Winter warmers come in many shapes and sizes, from the tongue-in-cheek to the hot-as-hell. Enjoy a quintet of heart-warming tales of men loving men that are guaranteed to leave you with a smile on your face.

One thing’s for sure – it’s going to be a red-hot Christmas!

Lucky Dip by Clare London
Andy Jackson always knew that class 2C’s help in preparing for the annual Christmas Fair would be a mixed blessing. Then he’s paired up on the Lucky Dip with Greg, the man who dumped him but now can’t keep away, the pupils are either lecturing him on his lovelife or losing bladder control, and no one’s fixed the broken handle on the storage room. It may all be one whoopee cushion too far for him.

Butterscotch Kisses by Chrissy Munder
Matthew Morrison is determined to conquer his fear of heights and achieve a winning outcome. At least, that’s what the best-selling, self-help book he’s listening to promises. Being stuck on a three-story tower in the middle of a snowstorm wasn’t part of the plan. With no St. Bernard in sight, it’s Cute Ticket Guy Adam to the rescue, and an outcome Matthew never anticipated.

Wintertide by Lou Harper
May meets December when Jem and Oscar chance on each other at the Santa Monica Pier, only weeks before Christmas. The two men are separated by age, social status, and their taste in candy, yet if they are both naughty and nice, they might just find holiday cheer together.

When in Amsterdam… by Josephine Myles
Brandon is on his first visit to new boyfriend Jos’s home country, just in time for their Sinterklaas celebrations. But an unexpected detour into a sex shop leads Brandon to new discoveries about himself, and a whole new dynamic to their relationship. The weather may be cold and damp, but Brandon and Jos soon heat things up!

A Pint of Beer, a Bag of Chips, and Thou by JL Merrow
What’s the best gift a young man could get for Christmas? Mohawked saxophonist Liam wouldn’t have picked the hideous collection of knitwear he’s presented with by his mum and his aunties. He’d rather have the gorgeous older man he sees every day while busking at King’s Cross. But with a little Christmas magic in the air, maybe those garish garments are just the thing for attracting a silver fox…

Contest Rules

  • To enter, leave a comment stating that you are entering the contest. Contest closes 7 pm CST, Friday, December 9.
  • By entering the contest, you’re confirming that you are at least 18 years old.
  • If you haven’t commented before, your comment will not be visible until after I moderate it. Please do not leave a second comment because your first doesn’t show up! The blog gnomes will decide your comments are spam and then only ritual dust bunny sacrifice will salvage your entry…
  • If your comment is actually an advertisement or if your CommentLuv link turns it into an advertisement, your comment will be deleted. (Most of you do not need to worry – this refers to some pretty clever comment spam.)
  • Winners will be selected by random number.
  • You must leave a valid email address in the “Email” portion of the comment form.
  • Please make sure that your spam filter allows email from stumblingoverchaos.com!
  • If a winner doesn’t respond to my congratulations email within 48 hours, I will select another winner.
  • If you win, please respect the author’s intellectual property and don’t make copies of the ebook for anyone else.
  • This contest is open worldwide!

“Hey!!!! Dinner is 0.2 seconds late, dammit! The service in this place sucks.” -Chaos

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Linkity: The post-birthday, pre-Thanksgiving edition

26 Comments

Don’t forget to enter the contest for Media Naranja (Other Half) (Petit Morts #16) by Clare London & Jordan Castillo Price! Contest closes 7 pm CST, November 28.

Go enter the contest for Boats in the Night by Josephine Myles! Contest closes 7 pm CST, November 28.

Definitely enter the contest for Private Eye (Liaisons #1) by SE Culpepper! Contest closes 7 pm CST, November 28.

Congrats to Cori and Lilli, who each won copies of Honored Vow (Change of Heart #3) by Mary Calmes! Honored Vow will be released by Dreamspinner Press on November 21.

Congrats to Kelly, who won Texas Winter (The Heart of Texas #2) by RJ Scott! Texas Winter will be released by Silver Publishing on November 19.

Thank you for all the birthday wishes yesterday! 🙂 I took yesterday and today off from work and did absolutely nothing. Tonight, Jeanne and I are going to see The Mountain Goats play at the Fitzgerald Theater – Neil Gaiman is part the event, too.

Contests

  • Cecile’s giving away backlist ebooks from Rachel Haimowitz, Aleksandr Voinov, LA Witt, Brita Addams, or Cat Grant. Read the contest directions carefully! Contests close November 18 at midnight, EST.

Bookity

  • So last week’s AJ Llewellyn drama led to a larger discussion of transphobia and transgender issues. For me, this post by Aleksandr Voinov tied everything together.

Ebookity

Do, Think, Make, Learn

Thanksgivity

Cookity

Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
Stay the Night by Scarlett Parrish. ebook. Very good m/m romance about Kit, an awkward and antisocial computer programmer who is extremely attracted to his new housemate, but manages to push him away at every turn. Kit reminded me all too much of myself…
Boats in the Night by Josephine Myles. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a guy who’s not really doing so well since his boyfriend left him a month ago. He’s dealing with a hangover when he hears a bunch of noise at the base of his garden and discovers a broken-down narrowboat, with a most fascinating owner…
True Colors by Clare London. ebook. reread. (Totally reusing my original reviewette here!) This turned out to be a very good and intense m/m romance after a sort of shaky start – I almost put the book away because there were so many different people introduced in the first few pages and I couldn’t figure out who was important and who was peripheral. But in the end? Totally redeemed, because Clare London deftly tied in those seemingly extraneous introductory bits.
Where You Least Expect It by M. Durango. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a straight guy whose unlikely friendship with a cyclist he almost ran over has him very confused about his sexuality.
Closet (Todd Mills #1) by RD Zimmerman. ebook. Very good m/m mystery about a prominent and closeted tv reporter whose boyfriend is murdered… and he’s being set up to take the fall. As a bonus, it’s set in Minneapolis in 1995. 🙂
Reclamation (Dominion #2) by Lissa Kasey. ebook. Very good m/m paranormal romance in which Sei’s seeing a Dominion-ordered psychiatrist to help him work through the events of the last book, but he seems to be getting worse instead of better. I would definitely have enjoyed this book more if I hadn’t read the prologue – it made me too anxious to really settle into the story.
Consequences (Dominion #2.1) by Lissa Kasey. free ebook short. Good short m/m paranormal romance about Gabe messing with Sei a bit after Sei gets caught out while shifted.
Touching Wood by Kim Dare. ebook short. Steamy kinky short m/m scene about a dominant and submissive reconnecting with each other in their playroom.
Wight Mischief by JL Merrow. ebook. Good m/m romance about a guy who goes to the Isle of Wight to research ghosts with the self-absorbed journalist friend he’s fancied himself in love with for years… a fancy he reevaluates as he keeps running into a sexy and reclusive author with a creepy, domineering guardian.
Drive Safe by Sean Kennedy. free ebook short. Cute short m/m romance about a guy driving home through the outback who stops to help a drag queen whose car has broken down.
Congratulations Lucky Winner by LB Gregg. free ebook short. Madcap short m/m story about a hotel manager charged with storing two very unusual awards that are to be given out at conventions in the hotel.
Speed Dating the Slow Way by Chris Owen. ebook short. Steamy short m/m romance about two guys who become briefly reacquainted during a charity speed dating event, then reconnect some time later.
Pulled Long (Long Shots #3) by Christine d’Abo. ebook arc. Pretty good m/m romance about Ian, a coffee shop owner who’s been fascinated by and flirting with a handsome customer for months… until he found out the customer was in the process of getting divorced. As he didn’t want to be some straight guy’s rebound, he backed off. I was annoyed by the whole martyr thing that Ian had going on – that’s a trait that drives me nuts. If that doesn’t bother you as much as it does me, you might enjoy this more than did I.
Between You and Me by Willa Okati. ebook. So-so m/m romance about two guys who’ve been best friends since college and now, in their mid-thirties, are starting to realize why neither of them have found “the one”. This just never came together for me – the language was convoluted and the whole beach in the rain scenario… *shakes head*
Stroke the Demon by Eden Cole. ebook. Meh kinky m/m paranormal menage about an orphaned 18-year old who discovers that the mysterious benefactors who’ve been paying for his school and living expenses are demons, and that he was basically bred to be their sex toy. This was one of those stories that had way too much sex for the tiny amount of plot.
Love Revisited: Nash & Paul (Nash & Paul #2) by HC Brown. ebook short. I read this out of sick fascination to see if it was as bad as the first book. It was. Maybe worse. It’s hard to quantify levels of badness at this level.
Saving Tate by Will Banks. ebook short. This m/m short was just bad, from using the phrase “gay lifestyle” to the clumsy writing to the excess of poorly executed plot crammed into too-few pages. Not recommended at all.

A classic picture of Chaos from early 2004! How would you caption it? 🙂