Tag Archives: Lee Brazil

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It was a dark and stormy linkity…

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Congrats to Gigi, who won Worth the Wait by Lori Toland!

Congrats to SueM, who won Countdown to Daddies by K-Lee Klein! Countdown to Daddies is being released by MLR Press today.

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Reading Update
Blood Howl (Sanguis Noctis #1) by Robin Saxon & Alex Kidwell. ebook. reread. Very good paranormal m/m romance about a guy, formerly Special Forces, who now offers those skills for hire. When a job goes in an unexpected direction, he has no idea how much his world is about to change…
Blood in the Sand (Sanguis Noctis #2) by Robin Saxon & Alex Kidwell. ebook. Very good paranormal m/m romantic suspense in which Jed and Redford are hired by Jed’s friend David to travel with he and Victor to Cairo to rescue some people that David believes have been kidnapped by an old associate of his. More, please. 🙂
Pain (Darwin’s Theory #1) by Adrienne Wilder. ebook short. Very good short paranormal m/m romance about two college roommates, one serious and brilliant, the other smart but wild. They’ve been friends since they were 12, and in love with each other for almost that long, but Peter (serious and brilliant) wanted to wait to become lovers…
Secrets (Darwin’s Theory #2) by Adrienne Wilder. ebook short. Very good short paranormal m/m romance in which Peter reveals a shocking secret. (Hey, cut me a break – these are going to be almost impossible not to spoiler, even in a single sentence reviewette.)
Promises (Darwin’s Theory #3) by Adrienne Wilder. ebook short. Very good short paranormal m/m romance in which Peter is becoming dangerous to Darwin, but other dangers abound as well.
Lost (Darwin’s Theory #4) by Adrienne Wilder. ebook short. Very good short paranormal m/m romance in which Darwin hopes they’ll be safe in the Gray Zone…
Found (Darwin’s Theory #5) by Adrienne Wilder. ebook short. Very good short paranormal m/m romance that twists and turns and twists and turns and…
To Adam With Love (The Gray Zone #1) by Adrienne Wilder. ebook. Very good paranormal m/m romance about Adam, whose mother brings him to live in the Gray Zone when he’s just a boy, and Ean, who becomes his closest friend. As the story alternates between present, when they’re both adults, and past, eventually the two points converge. I got sniffly at the end!
Worth (The Gray Zone #2) by Adrienne Wilder. ebook. Very good paranormal m/m romance about a guy who puts himself between his stepfather and his younger brothers to keep them safe. Then he meets a Lesser-Bred and, for the first time, wants something for himself.
Pale as a Ghost (Duncan Andrews #1) by Stephen Osborne. ebook. Very good m/m paranormal romantic suspense about a private investigator who has a zombie dog and a jealous ghostly boyfriend to deal with as he works cases involving a possession and a supernatural serial killer.
Animal Instinct (Duncan Andrews #2) by Stephen Osborne. ebook. Very good m/m paranormal romantic suspense in which Duncan has to figure out who’s using the power from a dead wizard’s skull to control animals and kill people.
The Way Back by Carter Quinn. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a guy hung up on the one who dumped him and got married to a woman. Years later, he’s finally letting another guy in emotionally when guess who shows up, all repentant?
Carny’s Magic by KZ Snow. ebook. Good paranormal m/m romance about a young man who presents himself to Jackson Spey, wanting to be the wizard’s apprentice. And then he meets a gorgeous and mercurial guy living a few houses down and discovers just how messed up magic can be.
Chuffed (Finnshifters #1) by Tia Fielding. ebook. Good paranormal m/m romance about a half shifter who owns a farm in Finland that’s a sort of shifter refuge, sort of an oddly assorted family.
Loving Eden by Lee Brazil. ebook short. So so short m/m romance about a college student trying to discourage a younger guy’s attraction to him, then ending up involved with the guy’s dad instead. This had too much story crammed into too few words, making the story choppy and superficial and instalovey. You should probably read the blurb, since it contains Eden’s backstory, which isn’t in the book. And be warned that the epilogue basically sets up for another book and cuts off midscene.
Book Cover Lover by Eve Tesoro. ebook. Meh m/m romance about an editor of erotic romance attending his first conference when a gorgeous cover model catches his eye. The story was implausible and the writing poor; this was painful to read.

“Maybe you need to get out more, Mom, if you think this is photo-worthy…” -Mayhem

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Linkity welcomes melted kitty season

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Congrats to Mary F, who won her choice of Ervin’s Dilemma (Wayne County Wolves #1) by Stephani Hecht or The Helpful Swan (The Cob Brothers #3) by Amber Kell and Stephani Hecht!

Congrats to Michelle, CursingMama, and Tracey D, who won King Perry by Edmond Manning!

Congrats to Peggy C, who won Still Waters (Sanctuary #4) by RJ Scott! Still Waters will be released by Silver Publishing on May 19.

Congrats to Paula S, who won her choice of More Than Pride (Supernatural Mates #6) or Switching Payne by Amber Kell! Switching Payne will be released by Silver Publishing on May 19 and More Than Pride will be released by Total-E-Bound on May 28.

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  • All about introverts. This quote sums us up perfectly: “…introverts are people who find other people tiring.” (Thanks, Edmond!)

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Reading Update
Last Stop by Lou Harper. ebook. arc. Very good kinky m/m romantic suspense about a guy who’s hitchhiking to Seattle, paying his way with sex or a friendly ear. When his latest ride dumps him at a truck stop in Montana, he sees a help wanted sign and decides to stick around for a bit after he meets the sexy, mysterious, older owner of the cafe. And then things start to get more and more complicated…
Where You Hurt the Most by Anne Brooke. ebook short. arc. Very good short m/m romance about an escort who’s asked to spend some time with a young man and perhaps help draw him out of the shell he’s been in since an accident left him terribly scarred. Written in a lovely, literary style, this story was a pleasure to read. My only complaint was that, while the story of the escort and the young man was evocatively told, I wanted to know at least a few more details about the merely implied back story in order to better understand a scene near the end.
Pricks and Pragmatism by JL Merrow. ebook short. Very good m/m romance about a guy who’s almost done with his university degree. He has no money, so he’s been staying with various guys, basically exchanging sex for food and lodging. But what’s up with the nerdy engineer he’s just moved in with, who doesn’t seem interested in him in that way?
Into the Bermuda Triangle (Turbulence #1) by Jordan Castillo Price. free ebook short. Very good short m/m paranormal setting the stage for future episodes of this serial about pilots who fly into the Bermuda Triangle. You are definitely left wanting more! 🙂
The Amethyst Cat Caper by Charlie Cochet. ebook. Very good mystery and romance set in Manhattan in the 1930s, in which the owner of a teahouse purchases a cat statue that he assumes is a forgery until a Pinkerton’s man comes knocking on his door…
Still Waters (Sanctuary #4) by RJ Scott. ebook. arc. Good m/m romantic suspense in which a Sanctuary operative, former FBI, is thrown together with his ex (still in the FBI) who believes he was on the take.
She’s Come Undone by Eric Arvin. ebook short. Sad short story about being trapped, be it by your body or by your fears or by the actions of others.
Home Sweet Home by Kim Dare. ebook short. Sweet short kinky m/m romance about a submissive who returns home to discover that his master’s contribution to their home’s decor is not at all what he suspected. (I took the picture that inspired said contribution. Hee hee.)
Glitter (Beach Duo #0.5) by Diana DeRicci. ebook. Good m/m romance about a college student who slowly realizes, over four years, that he’s not actually homophobic but rather the opposite.
The Charlie Factor (Beach Duo #1) by Diana DeRicci. ebook. reread. Very good m/m romance about a former firefighter slowly recovering after nearly dying in a murderous fire. He’s befriended by a straight guy who finds himself developing very confusing feelings for his new friend.
Popping the Question (Beach Duo #1.5) by Diana DeRicci. free ebook short. Sweet short m/m romance about a couple celebrating the second anniversary of their meeting. Really, this should be #2.5, as it contains spoilers for the second book.
Doing Love Right (Beach Duo #2) by Diana DeRicci. ebook. reread. Pretty good m/m romance about a wedding planner, recently dumped, who wakes up after a party to discover a strange man in bed with him… a strange man who knows an awful lot about him. This would’ve been better without the near-purple prose during the sex scenes.
Sparks Fly by Clare London. ebook. reread. Pretty good m/m romance about a successful entrepreneur who gets around, but finds himself thinking about the prickly programmer who helped launch his first venture, an online dating service. This suffers from an excess of exclamation points and… I know Clare’s a much more polished writer now than she was when this was written. 🙂
Mark’s Opening Gambit by Lee Brazil. ebook. Ok m/m romance about a high school dropout who’s helping his mom support his younger brothers by working nights. When he meets the snooty owner of a chess shop where one of his brothers is in a tournament, he’s unprepared for the attraction between them.
My First But Not My Last by Leigh Jarrett. ebook short. Ok, but very short, m/m encounter between a guy who’s just been dumped by his girlfriend and a guy he meets at the beach.
The Stars on My Arm by Leigh Jarrett. ebook. Meh m/m romance about a high school senior who’s at first repulsed and then fascinated by the heavily pierced and tattooed guy who moves in next door, much to his girlfriend’s dismay. This book was hampered by a number of things: too much telling and not enough showing, being several times longer than it should have been for the amount of actual story, and a lack of editing (giving someone the finger is rather different than fingering said person).

“…zzzzzzzzzzzzz…” -Chaos

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Linkity loves flying saucer sandwiches!

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Congrats to choccygrl, who won Going With My Heart by Stephani Hecht and My Subby Valentine by Amber Kell!

Congrats to Paul B, who won First Impressions by Josephine Myles!

Congrats to Nette, who won The Only Easy Day (Sanctuary #2) by RJ Scott! The Only Easy Day will be released by Silver Publishing on February 18.

Congrats to Melissa, who won The Pirate’s Gamble by Eden Winters! The Pirate’s Gamble will be released by JMS Books on February 19.

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  • Toas-Tites are back! Or, as we called them when I was growing up, flying saucer sandwich makers! 🙂 They work well with a gas stove, too.

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Reading Update
Midnight in Berlin by JL Merrow. ebook. arc. Excellent paranormal m/m romance about an American who’s been drifting around Europe for a while. One rainy drunken night, he accepts a ride from a devilishly handsome man in a Porsche… and his life (and his reality) will never be the same again.
Lesson Learned by Lillian Francis. ebook. Excellent m/m romance about two teachers at a Welsh secondary school who become close friends, although one finds the friendship increasingly challenging, due to the attraction he feels for his oblivious, obviously attracted to women friend.
The Only Easy Day (Sanctuary #2) by RJ Scott. ebook. arc. Very good m/m romantic suspense picking up where the first book left off. As the Sanctuary guys work to build a case against the mobsters responsible for the murder Morgan witnessed, things are complicated by the murder victim’s Navy SEAL stepbrother showing up on a mission of vengeance.
The Hanged Man’s Ghost by Missouri Dalton. ebook. Very good paranormal m/m romance about a Chicago police detective with a drinking problem and a crush on his straight best friend. When he realizes he can see ghosts, his life spirals quickly out of control. Sloppy proofing and a storyline that needed to be reined in just a bit kept this from being a five-star read. (But! There is knitting!)
Fiends in Low Places by Missouri Dalton. ebook short. Good short paranormal m/m romance about a guy who works for the MC from The Hanged Man’s Ghost and who’s trying to get back together with an FBI agent. Apparently the rest of this story (much alluded to throughout this one) is still being written.
Getting It Right (Life Lessons #1.8) by Kaje Harper. free ebook short. Sweet short m/m romance about both Mac and Tony agonizing over what to get the other for Valentine’s Day.
I Dare You, Back (Dare #3) by Tam Ames. free ebook short. Good short m/m romance about a college senior who’s been sleeping around for two years, ever since his boyfriend dumped him and left for grad school. Now his ex is back in town…
The Swimming Swan (Cob Brothers #2) by Amber Kell & Stephani Hecht. ebook. Fluffy m/m paranormal romance about a merman come to land to meet his mate, who he doesn’t know is a swan prince.
Taking the Dare (Truth or Dare #4) by Lee Brazil. ebook. Ok m/m romance about the last unattached Blake brother, who habitually manipulates people and just can’t seem to stop. I didn’t particularly care for him or for his love interest.
Reluctant Mate by Eden Cole. ebook short. So-so short paranormal m/m romance about a wolf shifter who’s pissed off that his father has arranged for him to mate a man instead of a woman.
Awakenings by Tara Larson. ebook. DNF. I only made it to 8% – this looks to be another unedited book from Dreamspinner Press. It featured random and constant POV shifts, non-stop infodumping, and passive voice. Ugh.

*scratch scratch scratch* -Mayhem

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In which linkity happens yet again

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Congrats to Giselle, who won The Decisions We Make by RJ Scott!

Congrats to Orannia, Eva, Bogusia, SarahM, and Zanara, who all won copies of Fall into the Sun by Val Kovalin!

Congrats to Helena, who won Cinder (A CinderFella Story) by Marie Sexton! Cinder will be released by Silver Publishing on February 4.

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  • This will only be humorous if you live in the Twin Cities (Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN) and are familiar with the controversy over a new Vikings stadium.

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Reading Update
Time To Do (Perfect Timing #3) by Kim Dare. ebook. reread. Excellent m/m romance about two guys – one gay, one straight – who have been best friends since they were small and are now roommates at college. The gay guy’s been quietly in love with his best friend for years, but has been resigned to never being able to touch him… until he finds his friend’s list of things to experience, which segues from kissing and having sex with women (all checked off) to kissing a man (not checked off)… This was my first Kim Dare book, and remains my very favorite. 🙂
Dirty Laundry by Heidi Cullinan. free ebook short. Smoking hot kinky short m/m story about a timid grad student doing his laundry on a Friday night and the cowboy who comes to his rescue.
Forever in One Second by Finn Marlowe. ebook. Very good m/m paranormal romantic suspense about a rescue worker who can heal with touch. When one of the people he’s healed comes to find and thank him, neither of them have any idea how much their lives will change.
The Yearning by AJ Rose. ebook. Very good paranormal m/m romance told from the perspective of a ghost anchored to a young mortician who is in love with his oblivious best friend. This took some unexpected and enjoyable twists. 🙂
9:05 by KC Burn. free ebook short. Very good short m/m romance about an office worker who’s the only one moving around while the rest of world is stuck at 9:05 am.
Chapter Five and the Axe-Wielding Maniac by Marie Sexton. free ebook short. Very good short m/m romance about a writer with writer’s block hiding out at his Oregon cabin… and then a young man with a pick-axe knocks on his door with a surprising request.
Carbon & Ash by Chris Owen. ebook short. This was a short but sweet m/m romance about slowing sliding into something other than friendship without being fully aware. And it’s one of my comfort rereads.
A Simple Suburban Murder (Tom & Scott #1) by Mark Richard Zubro. Very good gay mystery about high school teacher Tom, who finds a much-hated math teacher dead in his classroom, and his closeted baseball player boyfriend, Scott.
All the Gear, No Idea (I Blame Brett #2) by Kim Dare. ebook short. Good short kinky m/m romance about a dom who’s asked to look after a clueless new sub.
Not a Whore by Jaime Samms. free ebook short. Good short m/m romance about a young man who’s sleeping with his boss, but things are more complicated than they appear at first…
Method Acting by Clare London. free ebook short. Cute short m/m story about two guys in bed… with a surprising twist.
Death Trick (Donald Strachey #1) by Richard Stevenson. ebook. Good gay mystery set in Albany in 1979, when things were wild pre-HIV. Donald Strachey’s been hired by the parents of a missing gay man suspected of murder, but nothing is quite adding up about the case. (This is such a weird cover! Pretty sure there wasn’t a dog in the book…)
Hair of the Dog by Ashlyn Kane & Morgan James. ebook. Good paranormal m/m romance about a guy who wakes up covered in blood the morning after his father’s funeral and quickly learns (from the mysterious men waiting outside his door) that he was bitten by a werewolf. It was an interesting storyline, but the timeline was too murky for my pattern-matching brain, leading the story to feel jumpy.
Melting by VJ Summers. ebook short. Good short kinky m/m romance that consists of an extended wax play bdsm scene between a dom and his beloved submissive. I really wanted to read more of this couple’s backstory.
Plan B (A Candyland Story) by VJ Summers. free ebook short. Steamy short m/m story about two guys hooking up in a bar, which appears to be the prequel to Liar, Liar.
Hold the Sky by AC Fox. ebook. Good m/m romance about two architects – one just starting out and the other quite successful – who can’t stop competing with each other.
How Much for the Whole Night? by RJ Scott. free ebook short. Good short m/m story about a guy who picks up a hooker for the first time ever on the night before his final divorce custody hearing. There was just way too much story for the number of pages!
The Librarian by Lee Brazil. ebook. Ok m/m romance about a university librarian who’s had a crush on his former college roommate, now his hairdresser, for ten years. I was going to rate this higher until nearly the end of the book, when it turned out that the entire premise was based on a big misunderstanding. *sigh*
Want (1 Night Stand #81) by Ann Mayburn. ebook short. So-so short m/m about a straight construction foreman who’s been lusting after one of the stonemasons working for him. Via the 1 Night Stand service, he manages to arrange a blind date with the man. The pronoun confusion in this one was painful – I really couldn’t figure out who was doing what to whom most of the time.

I know this is an exceptionally crappy picture, but it amused me so much to see them both sleeping in the same pose. 🙂 (May is closer to the camera, so she looks the same size as Chaos.)

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Linkity is shivering

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Congrats to Karl A, who won Galley Proof by Eric Arvin! Galley Proof is being released by Dreamspinner Press today.

Congrats to Cayce, who won Noble Metals by L.A. Witt!

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  • If you haven’t watched the Joy of Books video yet, you really should… even if it does take a dig at ebooks at the end.

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  • Beware of knockoff ereaders and tablets. (And I’d further suggest that if you see a great deal on Woot! or the like, take a few minutes to go read reviews on reputable tech blogs – a lot of crappy tech gets dumped on “deal” sites.)

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Reading Update
The Violet and the Tom by Eve Ocotillo. free ebook. Excellent kinky historical fantasy m/m romance about a pleasure slave gifted by a king to his unwilling son, who is uncomfortable owning a slave for reasons that slowly become clear…
The Angel of 13th Street by Eden Winters. ebook. reread. Excellent m/m romance about a bar owner and former rentboy who, with help, turned his life around and now helps other young men get off the street and out of the life… and then one of his rescues really starts to get to him.
The Gallows Tree by RJ Scott. ebook. Very good paranormal m/m romance about a guy who hasn’t stayed anywhere very long since his abusive ex got out of prison. When he goes to England to oversee the renovation of an old cottage, he realizes he’s hearing and seeing things and starts to wonder if he’s finally snapped. I liked this one despite there being a stalker. 🙂
Squeaky Clean by Kim Dare. ebook short. Good kinky short m/m story about a guy sitting on his couch, working on his laptop, who’s startled by a window washer. Inspired by an email I sent Kim last summer. 🙂
The Fix (Whitetail Rock #2) by Anne Tenino. free ebook short. Good short m/m romance following up with the recently graduated but underemployed Nik and his cop lover Jurgen.
Aspergirls: Empowering Females with Aspergers Syndrome by Rudy Simone. This was a book that definitely gave me a lot to think about… because even though I’m positive my computer design engineer father has Aspergers, it never occurred to me until recently that I might have it. I’m now pretty sure that I do – the reasons are too numerous to list, but having had the same breakfast for the past 20+ years and finding my weird pattern-matching ability described as “fluid intelligence” and an Aspergers savant skill… Yeah.
I also had a lot of trouble with this book because it seemed too touchy-feely, without enough references beyond the author’s other books. And then I hit a sentence that exponentially increased my resistance to the book: “…depression exists because there’s a problem in your life.” Oh, hellafuckno – sometimes it does, to be sure, but sometimes it’s a purely biochemical sort of thing that you have little control over.
Psychic Moon #1 by MD Grimm. ebook. Good m/m paranormal romance about two guys working for an animal rescue organization who are attracted to each other, but unaware of the other’s paranormal abilities…
Celtic Warrior and Wolf Spirit (Psychic Moon #2) by MD Greem. ebook short. Good short paranormal m/m holiday romance in which the two guys from Psychic Moon have to deal with one’s psychotic ex tracking him down.
Nothing To Do With Pride (Supernatural Mates #4) by Amber Kell. ebook short. So-so m/m paranormal romance about a coyote shifter trying to find his missing, possibly psychotic sister. This read almost like a story outline, plus it had some continuity issues; for example, is the sister’s son fine, as at the beginning of the story, or is he missing, as at the end of the story (with nothing between the two points about him vanishing)?
The Thirteenth Child (Section Thirteen #1) by JL O’Faolain. ebook. So-so m/m urban fantasy about an exiled sidhe living in New York City who gets called in by his “straight” ex to help the police solve a series of murders and child abductions. This had potential that wasn’t realized due to clunky style and pacing. As with so many other releases from this publisher, it needed indepth editing to realize that potential. Also, be aware that there’s virtually no romance in this one.
The Thirteenth Pillar (Section Thirteen #2) by JL O’Faolain. ebook. So-so m/m urban fantasy about an exiled sidhe now working as an NYPD cop investigating paranormal crimes. This was a frustrating read, because I like the characters and the storyline… just not their awkward presentation. The sex scenes in this one read like bad amateur porn, using terms like “love nut” (for the prostate) and “almighty Johnson”.
Loving Jacob by Lee Brazil. ebook. So-so m/m romance about a married attorney who has an “understanding” with his wife (they’re staying together “for the sake of the children”) and gets involved with a younger man – a younger man who’s looking for his Prince Charming. Broken hearts, boozing, and cutting ensue, but it’s all ok by the last couple pages. Um, yeah, obviously this one hit some negative buttons for me…
Layover by CJ Black. free ebook short. Meh short m/m encounter between two guys in a bus station.

“My name is not Kilroy! Honestly, Mom, you are so weird.” -Mayhem

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No tasty birds were harmed in creating this linkity post

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Congrats to Erica Pike, who won Last Chance Ranch by D.G. Parker!

Congrats to Nikyta, who won Before He Cheats (Perfect Timing #7) by Kim Dare! Before He Cheats was released by Total-E-Bound on July 4.

Congrats to Becky W, who won One Night by RJ Scott! One Night will be released by Silver Publishing on Saturday, July 9.

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Reading Update
The Psychic’s Tale by Chris Quinton, The Soldier’s Tale by RJ Scott, & The Lord’s Tale by Sue Brown (The Fitzwarren Inheritance Trilogy). ebooks. Very good paranormal m/m romances reminiscent of the Nora Roberts trilogies that involve a different couple getting together in each book, all as part of breaking a curse or fulfilling a prophecy. Chris Quinton, RJ Scott, and Sue Brown have done something similar here, skillfully creating the m/m version of the three curse-breaking couples.
Before He Cheats (Perfect Timing #7) by Kim Dare. ebook. Very good kinky m/m romance about a guy who gets really insecure after someone tells him that he can hardly expect his older, richer, dominant boyfriend to be faithful to him. Poor Leon! I really wanted to give him a hug.
Sealing the Deal (Sex Sells #1) by Kim Dare. ebook. Good kinky m/m romance about a contract negotiator who, after completing his work for a design company, is ready to get to know his now-former employer much, much better.
Oleander House (Bay City Paranormal Investigations #1) by Ally Blue. ebook. reread. Good paranormal m/m about a group of paranormal investigators staying at Oleander House, trying to find the reason behind mysterious deaths in and disappearances from the house. I first read these two years ago and they were some of the first m/m books I read. Now I’m wondering if I was just so used to reading m/f that a lot the things that frustrate me now about the books seemed normal then. I really wanted to smack Bo throughout most of this book.
What Hides Inside (Bay City Paranormal Investigations #2) by Ally Blue. ebook. reread. Very good m/m paranormal romance which finds the BCPI team adding a sexy new guy and investigating mysterious disappearances at a local high school. The interdimensional portal aspect of these stories feels very Lovecraftian to me. And, fortunately, I found Bo much less frustrating in this book than in the first.
Twilight (Bay City Paranormal Investigations #3) by Ally Blue. ebook. reread. Very good paranormal m/m romance in which Sam, Bo, and Dean investigate a possible interdimensional portal at a primitive and remote mountain resort. If Bo’s paranoia has put you off the previous two books, this is the book where that changes for the better.
Closer (Bay City Paranormal Investigations #4) by Ally Blue. ebook. reread. Good paranormal m/m romance which finds Sam and Bo on vacation as Bo becomes increasingly erratic and obsessed with the nearby fort the rest of the BCPI crew is investigating.
An Inner Darkness (Bay City Paranormal Investigations #5) by Ally Blue. ebook. reread. Very good paranormal m/m romance in which Sam and Bo struggle against Bo’s ex-wife in order to help Bo’s son control his potentially dangerous telekinesis.
Where the Heart Is (Bay City Paranormal Investigations #6) by Ally Blue. ebook. reread. Very good paranormal m/m romance focusing on Dean, who’s visiting friends out of state when he meets a guy he really clicks with and begins an informal paranormal investigation of an apparition in the guy’s house.
Love, Like Ghosts (Bay City Paranormal Investigations #7) by Ally Blue. ebook. reread. Very good m/m romance that takes place ten years after the events in An Inner Darkness. Bo and Sam’s son Adrian is at college, but remains distanced from those around him as he works to control his telekinesis. I actually got a little sniffly while reading this one.
Blind Pass (Blue Line Hockey #4) by Stephani Hecht. ebook. Good m/m romance about two closeted hockey players from rival teams who end up as roommates when teaching at a summer hockey camp.
No Apologies by Tibby Armstrong. ebook. Good m/m romance about a couple, one closeted, whose relationship is likely over because the other is tired of being a “dirty little secret.” Much of the story is told via flashbacks in the form of a semi-autobiographical film, making it hard to sort out what really happened. I’ll definitely read more by this author, although I’m hoping for a more straightforward narrative next time!
Jackson Square Jazz (Scotty Bradley Mysteries #2) by Greg Herren. Good gay mystery (with a titch of the paranormal) in which Scotty, now training to be a private investigator, manages to get involved in a case involving figuring skating, an historic fire, and a missing Napoleonic mask.
Mardi Gras Mambo (Scotty Bradley Mysteries #3) by Greg Herren. Good gay mystery (again with a titch of the paranormal) in which Scotty’s life goes spectacularly awry during the weekend before Mardi Gras. I must confess that I skim these every time they get a little too new agey for me. It doesn’t seem to make a difference. 🙂
Vieux Carre Voodoo (Scotty Bradley Mysteries #4) by Greg Herren. Good gay mystery with a hint of the paranormal that takes place three years after the previous book, in post-Katrina New Orleans.
Who Dat Whodunnit? (Scotty Bradley Mysteries #5) by Greg Herren. ebook. Pretty good gay mystery with a dash of the paranormal – this one manages to combine the New Orleans Saints winning the Super Bowl with a homophobic megachurch… It got a bit preachy at times. And a Prius turned into a Jag between chapters! Whoops…
Telling the Truth (Truth or Dare #2) by Lee Brazil. ebook. Good m/m/m romance about the second Blake brother admitting his attraction to the sexy twins introduced in the previous book and making major changes in his life because of it.

“That bird looks awfully tasty…” -Chaos

“That’s my tasty bird, big kitty! You have to find a different one!” -Mayhem

Contests, Reading

Ebook Giveaway: Telling the Truth (Truth or Dare #2) by Lee Brazil [CONTEST CLOSED]

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Congrats to SusieQ, who won The Fitzwarren Inheritance trilogy by Chris Quinton, RJ Scott, and Sue Brown!

Many thanks to Lee Brazil for donating an ebook copy of her forthcoming m/m/m romance, Telling the Truth (Truth or Dare #2), for a lucky commenter to win! Telling the Truth will be released by Breathless Press on June 24.

The Blake brothers have upped the ante in their weekly poker game. The week Terry loses, he finds that paying his debt of telling the truth sets him free to pursue a fantasy he never dreamed could be reality.

Terry has lived his life according to the guidelines, by studying accounting, getting an MBA, and working for the family business. And while his work has its own rewards, something has been missing, and his eyes have only just been opened to what – or rather who – that could be.

Terry’s brothers have upped the ante in their weekly poker game. A Truth or Dare challenge. Terry can handle any dare his brothers dish out, but the demand for Truth is a different matter. Unable to hide behind his pristine reputation and fancy business suit, Terry is honor bound to divulge secrets he’s been ashamed to admit even to himself in the privacy of his own bedroom.

Twins Dex and Trick have finally found acceptance for their relationship in the homes of their friends. They would never do anything to jeopardize that newfound sense of belonging. Fooling around with Mischa’s prissy, domineering, oh-so-sexy older brother is risky. A one night stand might be okay, and the boys happily indulge, but then close ranks afterward, pushing Terry aside.

Terry isn’t going to back down without a fight. He’s convinced that Dex and Trick are meant to be his, and he’ll do whatever it takes to make them realize all the safety and protection they need can be found in his arms.

Excerpt (scroll down)

Other Books

About Lee

I’m an avid reader and former teacher of grammar and composition who believes that falling in love is the grandest adventure anyone can have.  In a nutshell, that’s every story I have to tell.

Relocating from the crazy pace of life in Southern California’s Orange County to the beautiful and leisurely atmosphere of the Illinois countryside has given me the time to indulge the desire to write that I set aside when I started teaching fourteen years ago. Readers can find out more about me and my writing by visiting me at my blog, finding me on Facebook, or sending me an email.

Contest Rules

  • To enter, leave a comment below stating that you are entering the contest. Leave your comments by 7 pm CDT, Thursday, June 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 luck and counterintuitive espionage 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.)
  • Winner 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!

“Mom?! Now how are you going to insult me?!” -Mayhem

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Lead on, linkity, lead on

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Congrats to Paula, who won Trust in Me by Lori Toland!

Congrats to Cursingmama, who won Stranger in Black by Devon Rhodes!

Congrats to Lauren, who won Between Sinners and Saints by Marie Sexton! Between Sinners and Saints will be released on May 29 by Amber Allure.

Congrats to Melanie M, who won A.J.’s Angel by L.A. Witt! A.J.’s Angel is being released by Samhain Publishing on May 31.

Contests

Bookity

Ebookity

Do, Think, Make, Learn

Cookity

Crafty

Cool

  • Fabulous linkity from The Mary Sue that includes The Doctor and the Little Prince, how to make chocolate zombie truffles, Jack Sparrow statue made from scrap iron, and more!

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
Reverb by Jet Mykles. ebook. Excellent m/m romance about the lead singer of a rock band who’s really attracted to his straight lead guitarist and finally has the opportunity to seduce him… and then things go very, very wrong. Keep your hankies handy for this one!
Highway Man by Eden Winters. ebook short. Excellent short m/m romance based on the song “Papa Was a Rodeo” by the Magnetic Fields. I like to think that part of the song is an epilogue for the story. 🙂
Nothing Ever Happens by Sue Brown. ebook. Very good, very angsty m/m romance about a gay man staying married both for his son’s sake and out of fear of his overbearing, homophobic mother. Things start to break down when a new couple move to the neighborhood… Be warned that there’s infidelity in this one, which isn’t usually to my taste, either, but I got sucked in despite that.
Pain Management by Cassidy Ryan & Zoe Nichols. ebook short. Very good short m/m romance about two guys who are business partners and best friends, until a drunken night together threatens all of it. Um, I might’ve cried a bit – this one really got to me! I got sniffly on the reread, too.
Deliberately Bound (Bound #3.5) by Ava March. free ebook short. Steamy short kinky m/m romance in which things don’t go at all as Vincent had planned upon Oliver’s return from London.
A Weapon of Opportunity by Kiernan Kelly. ebook. Good paranormal m/m romance about a gay cop in love with his straight partner, who was killed in the line of duty five years earlier… but his ghost remains.
A Fool for You by Cat Grant. ebook. Good m/m romance about a dyslexic keyboardist who gets screwed over by his band members and boyfriend because he wasn’t able to write his music down. The pacing on this felt odd to me – an overnight change from brat to not-brat plus insta-love just didn’t quite gel.
Stroke to His Cox by JL Merrow. ebook short. Good short m/m romance about the cox of a rowing team, who has a crush on one of his rowers.
Keeping House (Truth or Dare #1) by Lee Brazil. ebook short. Good short m/m romance about a trust fund baby whose controlling older brothers manipulate him into getting a job and supporting himself. If only it hadn’t been insta-love…
Impossible to Resist by Em Woods. ebook short. Steamy short m/m romance about a guy who’s phobic about being touched, but that doesn’t stop him from having a crush on one of the co-owners of the firm where he works. I did have a couple niggles: refractory periods and whether someone with haptephobia would actually change so quickly. Also, it felt like there was an awful lot of story for so few pages.
Lipstick & Handguns (Lawful Disorder, Book 1) by Gabrielle Evans. ebook. Ok m/m romantic suspense about a cop who finds himself getting too attached to a guy who survived being abducted and tortured. I kept getting distracted from the story by typos and descriptions that had me rereading to see if I’d read them right.

“Send me all your everythings now, please. Thank you.” -Mayhem

Contests, Reading

Ebook Giveaway: Impossible To Resist by Em Woods & Keeping House by Lee Brazil [CONTEST CLOSED]

72 Comments

Many thanks to Em Woods and Lee Brazil for donating ebook copies of their freshly released m/m romances, Impossible to Resist and Keeping House, for one lucky commenter to win!

While Max’s biggest fear is being touched, his greatest dream is to be loved. Can he let Jeremiah close enough to heal, or will he turn away all that he wants for the safety of what he knows?

Max Eisner suffers from haptephobia, the fear of being touched. He refuses to let that stop him from living, though every second outside his house compounds his distress. Nor does it prevent him from yearning for that one man who will crash through those barriers and make Max his in every way.

Jerimiah Sandburg has watched the handsome man walk past his office door every morning for the past three months. Every day he has the same pained look on his face, flinching whenever someone brushes against him. Jerimiah isn’t sure if Max will trust him enough to work through whatever is bothering him, but he’s not willing to wait another day to claim the smaller man for his own.

Will Max listen to the call of his heart, or will he shut himself off once and for all?

Mischa knew his brothers were up to something. He didn’t know it would lead him to Donovan Holloway and change his carefree lifestyle forever.

Donovan Holloway, advertising executive, newly made vice president of the company where he’s worked for twenty years, grew up in a free love hippie commune, taking care of the parents who should have been taking care of him. He’s worked hard to put himself through school and achieve the American dream. All he’s ever wanted was a normal family life – house in the suburbs, two cars, two kids, a shaggy dog. A family to come home to – to care for, and to care for him.

Mischa Blake is the green eyed, liberally-pierced, black-haired, Mohawk-wearing spoiled youngest son of a Hollywood producer and his actress wife. Mischa has made a terrible mistake. In a fit of childish pique, he’s accepted a dare from his older brothers. The dare? Live on his own, supporting himself completely for a year without accessing his trust fund. No problem. Except Mischa has never worked a day in his life, hasn’t finished college, and has absolutely no skills that he can bring to the table.

So when he sees Donovan’s ad for a housekeeper/gardener, he has nothing to lose by applying, because really…how hard can it be?

Contest Rules

  • To enter, leave a comment below stating that you are entering the contest. Leave your comments by 7 pm CDT, Friday, May 20.
  • 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 luck and counterintuitive espionage 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.)
  • Winner 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!

“I don’t like to be touched while I’m sleeping, Mom – why are you always waking me up like that?!” -Mayhem