Hey everyone! Thanks to Sid Love for hosting me as I continue my Riptide blog tour for Long Time Gone. It’s the second book in the Hell or High Water series, and I’m so happy with the awesome reception it’s getting!
Long Time Gone is the reunion between Prophet and Tommy we’ve been waiting for. Prophet and Tommy have too. But before we go there, I want to backtrack a bit.
One of the biggest decisions about the first book in the series, Catch a Ghost, wasn’t actually my decision at all. I’m talking about the ending. I knew from the start that Prophet and Tommy were too big for one book, so I planned the series out before I started writing book 1. After my Riptide editors read it, they told me that I should put book 2 out shortly after book 1, and we made it clear that Catch a Ghost has what’s labeled an ambiguous ending.
Now, here’s the thing—it’s really clearly stated everywhere that Catch a Ghost is the first book in a series about Prophet and Tommy. I even put a special note in the acknowledgements thanking my readers for trusting me enough to come along for the ride, because they know I write romance.
That being said . . . I don’t think the ending of Catch a Ghost is ambiguous at all. See, I’m a big fan of books with what I like to call Gift of the Magi endings. You’ve got two guys here who each make a sacrifice for the other person at the end of this book. Last time I looked, you typically didn’t make a sacrifice for someone you didn’t —
(sorry, that’s Prophet who won’t let me type the word . . . but you know they’ll find out soon enough, right? Right J)
So, talk to me about endings. What’s your favorite kind—the HFN, the epilogue with the wedding together forever kind of thing—or tell me the name of a book you love especially because of the ending (you know I ask these questions so I get a cool reading list from it, right)? Also, I’m going to pick two commenters at the end of the blog tour to win $10.00 Amazon gift cards!
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About SE Jakes:
SE Jakes writes m/m romance. She believes in happy endings and fighting for what you want in both fiction and real life. She lives in New York with her family and most days, she can be found happily writing (in bed). No really…
You can contact her the following ways:
You can email her at authorsejakes@gmail.com
You can post to her Facebook page: Facebook.com/SEJakes
You can Tweet her: Twitter.com/authorsejakes
You can post on her Goodreads Group: Ask SE Jakes
You can follow her Tumblr page: sejakes.tumblr.com
Truth be told, the best way to contact her is by email or in blog comments. She spends most of her time writing but she loves to hear from readers!
About Long Time Gone:
When a tornado meets a volcano, nothing is safe.
Soldier of fortune Prophet Drews always worked alone—until Tom Boudreaux became his partner. But when Tom walked away three months ago, ostensibly to keep Prophet safe, Prophet learned the true meaning of being alone. Everyone knows that Prophet, a Navy SEAL turned CIA spook turned mercenary, can look after himself. Which means he must’ve driven his lover away.
Even with half a world between them, Prophet can’t get the man out of his head. Maybe that’s why he’s in New Orleans in the middle of a hurricane, protecting Tom’s aunt. But the only looter around is Tom, bursting back into Prophet’s life. It turns out that Prophet’s been stuck in Tom’s head—and heart—too.
Their explosive reunion gets even hotter when Tom is arrested for murder. As they fight to clear his name, they delve deep into his past, finding enemies among everyone they meet. Staying alive in such a dangerous world is hard enough, but they soon discover that fighting to stay together is the most difficult thing they’ve ever done.
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You can read and excerpt and purchase at Riptide Publishing. Book 1 in the series, Catch a Ghost, is also available. And Dirty Deeds, an EE, Ltd novella, will be available in January, 2014.
READ JEN B’s FIVE STAR REVIEW HERE ON THE BLOG OF SID LOVE
I really love to know they are happy together in the end, an epilogue is nice! I just finished a good series by Kelly Jamieson, the San Amaro Singles, and I was happy with the way she wrapped up the series with the third book. Nora Roberts is incredible at wrapping up trilogies.
I had the absolute pleasure of reviewing this book! I’m just gonna add my .02 on the questions. I enjoy HEA’s but love that it can’t always happen right away, and CAG was a perfect example! No way could things happen that easily for Prophet. And the even bigger beauty is that we get more!
I’m also a fan of Epi’s, as I love to see how things are going for the MC’s.
Thanks again, for the opportunity to review this, as well as Catch a Ghost. I’m so ready for the next installment!
I love happy endings, but I like to feel like the MC’s worked for it and deserve it – I am really tired of the “Destined Mate” thing – so my favorite happy endings so far have been – Dark Tide by Josh Lanyon, Clear Water by Amy Lane, How to Raise an Honest Rabbit by Amy Lane, 3rd You Die by Scott Sherman, Threshold by Jordan Hawkes, A Boy and His Dragon by R Cooper,Lost Won by S E Culpepper – and I could go on and on – I read way toooo much!
PS I really enjoyed Long Time Gone – I got very attached to these to in CaG so I was happy to see them resolve some/most of their stuff and move forward.
I didn’t mind the ending of Catch a Ghost knowing there were more books to come but I’m a fan of the epic story. HFN or HEA is fine but I don’t care for endings that are sugary sweet especially if that was not the tone of the rest of the book.
I’m an eclectic reader who loves all kinds of books as well as all kinds of genres, so I guess that explains why I like all different kinds of endings. If it isn’t a continuing series I especially love a good epilogue that gives a glimpse into the characters’ future. I don’t even mind a good cliff hanger, although I will admit that the ending in Catch a Ghost almost killed me. I’ve almost forgiven SE Jakes though, just because we didn’t have to wait too long for Long Time Gone. LOL!
I prefer books with a HEA or HFN, but when it’s a series I’ll take however each book ends in the hope it’ll work out ok(ish) at the end of the series 🙂
And epilogues can be a good thing – but more as a way of showing the characters didn’t get arrested/shot/torn to pieces 🙂
Some books are better left with a HFN for the simple fact that i didnt really love the characters enough to read a second book and I’m satisfied with the way it ended. Other books, like the Hell or High Water series, I enjoy the HFN because i know more books are coming and that it’s going to be quite a ride. But i do eventually want the HEA.
I like the epilogues because it gives that last bit of closure and satisfaction to the book. Kinda of like scraping the last bit of frosting off your plate after you’ve eaten the cake. The last bit of yumminess. Lol
It depends on the book and the story arc, if it’s a stand alone and I know I’m not going to get anymore I prefer a HEA or HFN, although if it doesn’t fit the story neither might work. But if it’s a series it’s sometimes good if it doesn’t all go well in the first book. I am working my way to the first book so having this waiting would be great! Thank you for the post and the giveaway.
Definitely, I prefer a HEA, except if the book is a series such as a trilogy/series, then HFN is fine, but I would want the HEA for the final book. Thanks for the giveaway!
I’m all good with any type of ending as long as I know before hand that there will be more books to come. But, in the end, I love HEA.
Thank you for the giveaway !
<3
stamper_sierra [at] yahoo [dot] com
The type of ending depends on the book. I like an HEA if the characters had to really struggle to be together due to outside circumstances, but I don’t think an HEA needs to include a wedding. I don’t mind an HFN if it works for the book. I knew that Prophet & Tommy had another book so I didn’t mind the ending of CAG.
The ending of Metal Heart by Meredith Shayne was a tenuous HFN and I liked it (contrary to popular opinion) because it left the reader to wonder how the MCs fit together after 16 years apart. And left room for a sequel.
I can’t wait to start LTG and I’m totally shipping Mal & Cillian!
I absolutely love the endings on the Assassin/Shifter Series by Sandrine Gasq-Dion. I love that I get to read the characters Happily Ever After, but there is always some kind of cliff hanger given with clues to the next few books. I am a sucker for a good series which is why I am so happy that Prophet and Tommy have one! I am a sucker for the adrenaline rush you get when you reach the end and are left wanting more! Complete helps that the men in your books are sexy as sin too!
Hey everyone!!!
Well, I’m obviously a fan of the HEA myself (or HFN too) so the end of CAG really killed me, but yeah, there was no other way to end that book. None. So I’m just so happy we could bring you book 2 this fast. I keep saying on Twitter, “I think everyone’s forgiven me for the CAG ending, yes?”
As for sugary-sweet endings (Debra) – YES! I never understood the whole falling in love with someone b/c he’s a sarcastic bastard and then suddenly, he’s changed. The thing is, everyone’s got that sweet side to them, but I always want to know that the character I fell in love with didn’t change who he was.
Sarah, my editor and I (who is also named Sarah) went SO back and forth with the epilogue for this book, you have no idea. And it’s interesting b/c I’ve had readers tell me, “I’m not reading the epilogue yet, b/c I like where Proph & Tommy are and I don’t want to ruin it.” So I feel like, giving the epilogue can give you that choice 🙂
{{{JENB}}}} The review was awesome. I always kind of hold my breath for readers / reviewers who’ve liked my books in the past. It’s like, they’re the first line of soldiers…if I can get past them, I breathe a little sigh of relief.
Allison, I agree – a stand-alone that’s labeled romance needs to have an HEA / HFN. SOme readers said that CAG couldn’t be considered romance since it had a dubious ending, and I get what they meant.
Jbst – sometimes series can be exhausting in that way. I love series, but I also like knowing there’s an end point. You’re very welcome too!!!
Colette, I’m so glad you liked LTG! (and thanks for the reading list :):) I read way too much too, so I’m always looking for recs. I need happy endings for sure. And I’m in agreement about the h/h having to work for it 🙂
hey Jennifer!!! LOL on shipping Cill & Mal! Obviously I am too 🙂 And I agree – I don’t like the quick quick wrap up, everyone has to get married if it’s a single book, bc then it can feel rushed. I love when authors give you a sense of happiness but leave room for sequels (which it sounds like the Shayne book was – another for my reading list!)
Hey Sid – thanks for hosting me again!!! I’ll check in again later 🙂
I like an ending that fits the story. Sometimes a story isn’t about ever-lasting love that lasts. In Brandon Shire’s Listening to Dust the incredible love story is told after the death of one of the m/c’s. It doesn’t make you fall in love with them any less and it hurts, oh damn, does it hurt, but it’s such a worthy read.
Now, saying all that, I do LOVE at good HEA! But first I want to be trashed, ripped apart, lifted to the heavens and then put back together again. I’m a glutton for punishment. I like to Feel my reads. And that’s why I read S.E. Jakes and Long Time Gone. See what I did there 😉
HFN and HEA both work for me. I don’t need an wedding. Epilogues are useful in certain books, but I don’t think every story needs it.
I like an HEA, but it’s not always a necessity as long as things work out in a suitable way. I’m not too crazy about epilogues for some reason…
I like realistic endings. Sometimes all you are going to get is a HFN or maybe not even that. I’m okay with that as long as it holds true to the characters’ story. Personally, I enjoyed the ending of Catch a Ghost.
/hugs
While I can deal with a HFN ending, they are of course not my favorite. I always want the MC to get a HEA. But knowing that a possibility of a HEA may be found in the next book of a series I can deal with like in this series. Now on to Mal and Cillian, rubbing hands in glee!
I read for escape. Life is too real. I want the HEA.
I like a HEA but it doesn’t necessarily have to been in the first book. Sometimes I am not ready for a book to end and I am happy to see another book or 2 until I get the the HEA.
I usually like reading HEA or HFN books but I don’t mind sad stories ending either. It all really depends on what I’m in the mood for.
It all depends on the book or series. I do like my HEA with an epilogue but don’t mind the HFN like this one.
I’m a sucker for a happy ending. I get enough of the unhappy stuff in real life, so when I read I want to see them fight to overcome and have love conquer all, etc. I avoid break-up books like the plague. 🙂
I like book series that build up to the HEA. It can end with a HFN or a leave you on the edge ending but I like to know that eventually their will be a HEA of some sort. It doesn’t have to be tied in a bow perfect but at least satisfying. One of my favorite series that built to the HEA is the Sabina Kane series. It took the whole series to really get their but it did eventually.
I’m a fan of HFN and HEA, especially if you’re writing romance. I chose to read romance and the history of romance is HFN/HEA, so gimme. Now that’s especially true for a single book. In a series if it’s the last book, yuhp I need it. If it’s any book before the last in a series, well you can leave me hanging if that was the story needs. I’ll cuss you out (ijgkjfgrfkghfjghfkggbfgnf, SE that’s leftover from CAG ;D) but I will understand..eventually (= Don’t label your writing as romance if HFN/HEA isn’t what your story is about, or else pitchfork/village happenings will occur lol, no seriously though.
I hate cliff-hangers and like HEA’s. My favorite type of books are those that are resolved with a HEA but have secondary characters that become the main characters in the next novel. It’s a good way to let us know how the original characters are doing.
In general, I like HEA or HFN with an epilogue or a follow-up book. If there is a really major cliff-hanger at the end or sad ending (and I know it from reviews), I often wait until the next book comes out and read them together. I even like bitter sweet endings in some books, as long as there is some hope.
I Love your books SE Jakes and I love the HEA you always give…… So Im off to buy to buy book 1 so I can read book 2!!!! Thank you for giving us Great Reads!!!!
I don’t read for “reality”, so has to be HEA! 🙂
I like HEA but do not need an OTT epilogue with marriage and kids, etc. If it’s a series and I know there will eventually be an HEA I am fine with a cliffhanger or “unhappy” ending. It really depends on the story – if it’s well written and suits the story I am flexible. 🙂
The way I am about endings is that they can be anything as long as they are done well and stay true to the story. I love HEA and HFN, but if I get open-ended or cliffhanger or even ambiguous, I’m all good. I want to explore different lives, and sometimes things go on happily and sometimes things are a muddle. I love to see the whole range.