Book of the Week Poll
Welcome to the Love Bytes Book of the Week Poll!
Here are the books which achieved a 4.5 or 5.0 review last week from our reviewers.
As a reminder, the top two books from each week’s poll will roll into our Book of the Month poll at month’s end. Happy Voting!
Please scroll to the very bottom for the voting section.
POLL SCHEDULE:
This poll will remain open until at least 6PM, Amsterdam time next Friday. The actual closing time will vary depending on blog staff schedules…
Leaning Into the Fall by Lane Hayes
![Leaning Into the Fall (Leaning Into Series Book 2) by [Hayes, Lane]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/512Ej4%2B0wxL.jpg)
Reviewed by Cinnamon
TITLE: Leaning Into the Fall
SERIES: Leaning Into series book #2
AUTHOR: Lane Hayes
PUBLISHER: self published
LENGTH: 228 pages
RELEASE DATE: March 15, 2017
BLURB:
Nick Jorgensen is a quirky genius. He’s made a fortune in the competitive high tech field with his quick mind and attention to detail. He believes in hard work and trusting his gut. And he believes in karma. It’s the only thing that makes sense. People are difficult, but numbers never lie. In the disastrous wake of a broken engagement to an investor’s daughter, Nick is more certain than ever he isn’t relationship material.
Wes Conrad owns a thriving winery in Napa Valley. The relaxed atmosphere is a welcome departure from his former career as a high-rolling businessman. Wes’s laid-back nature is laced with a fierceness that appeals to Nick. In spite of his best intention to steer clear of complications, Nick can’t fight his growing attraction to the sexy older man who seems to understand him. Even the broken parts he doesn’t get himself. However, when Wes’s past collides with Nick’s present, both men will have to have to decide if they’re ready to lean into the ultimate fall….Read More »
Falcon’s Fox (Rock Series #4) by Sandrine Gasq-Dion
REVIEWED by Danielle
TITLE: Falcon’s Fox
SERIES: The Rock Series #4
AUTHOR: Sandrine Gasq-Dion
PUBLISHER: Skull Blasters Publishing
LENGTH:
RELEASE DATE: March 15 ,2017
BLURB:
A part of this books royalties will go to Tihan Network. This book is part of a series, preceded by Harley’s Achilles. It can be read as a standalone. It contains homosexual relations and mature content.
Heavy metal rocker Ransom Fox has everything he’s always wanted: fame, money, groupies and a family who has his back. There’s just one thing missing — someone to love. Since he was a young teen, Ransom has had eyes for only one man, a movie star he knows he’ll never meet. Dying dream, meet trite cliche: Never say never.
Now that Ransom and his band have hit it big, they’re rubbing elbows with celebrities all the time — including a ce…rtain handsome Italian actor. A trip to California launches Ransom directly into Sal Falco’s orbit. Unable to resist the gravitational pull, the men find themselves in each other’s arms, beginning a clandestine relationship. As an actor who makes his living as every woman’s dream, Sal has a custom-made closet to stay in. Ransom knows his love life will need to remain secret, one he’ll happily keep for the man who is even better than his best fantasies.
Sal Falco has been hiding his sexuality for years, but a spine-tingling run-in with sexy Ransom Fox has him thinking that keeping secrets is a lot of work with no payoff. When Sal offers to put Ransom up during his trip to California, even a mansion isn’t big enough to keep him from the sexy rocker. Things heat up in a hurry; hell, the Earth moves. How do you argue with a sign like that? Sal finally gets a taste of his heavy metal heartthrob — and happiness….Read More »
Troy : Out of the Dark by J.J. Harper
Reviewed by Kat
TITLE: Troy: Out of the Dark
SERIES: Troy Duology (book #2)
AUTHOR: J.J. Harper
PUBLISHER: Self-Published
LENGTH: 211 pages
RELEASE DATE: February 23, 2017
BLURB:
Troy – Out of the Dark follows on from Troy – Into the Light
Rafferty ‘Raff’ McMahon—beaten, broken and cast out of his home at eighteen—turns to his aged aunt who helps him become a new man with a new name. Ten years later, a successful photographer with an edge to his work everyone seems to want, a call that will set his life on a roller coaster ride comes through., wants to meet him. Mesmerized by the voice coming down the line, Raff immediately agrees to the meeting.
“Hi, can I speak to Rafferty McMahon?” A deep and seductive voice asks. “You are.” My reply is short, who the fuck is this? I’m having a horrendous day and, however hot this guy sounds, I want off my phone. As he sets about researching, not the company but the man himself; captivated by Troy’s images, Raff is excited to meet the man behind the sexy drawl.
When Troy sets up a meeting with up-and-coming photographer Rafferty McMahon the last thing he expects is to be drawn to him. A connection he has already experienced once before, his heart beats a little faster. Is this for real?
“What do you want, Troy?” His voice, low and gravelly, sends shivers over my body. “I don’t know. We have only just met but from the first moment I heard your voice I haven’t been able to stop thinking of you.”
The feeling of ownership overwhelms Troy and as much as he wants to stay locked away with only the memories of Franco, he can’t fight his feelings for this handsome man. Is this the man Franco told Troy was waiting for him? Is he going to be the great love of his life? Will both Raff and Troy be allowed to be with their one true love, or is there someone out there ready to tear them apart? This book is a gay M/M romance and include strong language and hot sex between two men, and is recommended for over 18’s. It is book two in a duology Book 1 Troy – Into the Light is out now. Troy’s story hits on a hard subject that may act as a trigger for some….Read More »
Step by Step by K.c. Wells
Reviewed by Cinnamon
TITLE: Step by Step
AUTHOR: K.c.Wells
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 256 pages
RELEASE DATE: March 13, 2017
BLURB:
Jamie’s life is one big financial mess, and it really isn’t his fault. However, the last thing he expected to find in the library was a Good Samaritan. He might have been suspicious of Guy’s motives at first, but it soon becomes apparent that his savior is a good man who has been lucky in life and is looking to pay it forward. Guy being gay is not a problem. Jamie’s not interested… or so he thinks.
Guy is happy to help Jamie, and the two men get along fine. But when Jamie’s curiosity leads him from one thing to another, Guy finds himself looking at the young man with new eyes. What started out as a hand up is now something completely different….Read More »
Drinker of Blood (SPECTR 2 #3) by Jordan L. Hawk
Reviewed by Chris
TITLE: Drinker of Blood
SERIES: SPECTR 2 #3
AUTHOR: Jordan L. Hawk
PUBLISHER: Widdershins Press
LENGTH: 84 pages
RELEASE DATE: March 17, 2017
BLURB:
An outbreak of demon attacks across Charleston has worn SPECTR agent John Starkweather to the bone. Now a new threat faces his team: a demon with bullet—and bite—proof skin, which can’t be stopped by ordinary means.
John’s only solace comes in the form of his lovers: Caleb Jansen and the vampire spirit Gray. Caleb and Gray have their own problems, however. Unbeknownst to John, they’ve been tracking a mysterious entity across the city. And after they finally come face to face with their quarry, nothing will ever be the same…..Read More »
The Shadow Mark (Lords of Davenia #2) by Mason Thomas
Reviewed by Sarina
TITLE: The Shadow Mark
SERIES: Lords of Davenia #2
AUTHOR: Mason Thomas
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 312 pages
RELEASE DATE: February 13, 2017
BLURB:
Auraq Greystone, once a military officer with a promising future, exists on the fringe of society. Accused of murder, Auraq is on the run from the ax—until two fugitives crash into his solitary life. One is a young man named Kane. The glowing marks on his arm pulse with an otherworldly power, and they have made him the target of a sinister organization called the Order of the Jackal. When the old man protecting Kane dies in an ambush, Auraq swears an oath to take his place.
But the runes are far more significant than they realize. They are a message from the shadow realm, a dark memory of the past—one holding evidence of a bloody massacre and its savage architect; one that will shake the kingdom to its foundation. Risking arrest and execution, Auraq fights to get Kane to the capital city where the cryptic marking can be unlocked. And with assassins close on their trail, Auraq might never get the chance to show Kane what’s in his heart—or the way their journey together has changed him.
The Shadow Mark is an epic tale of magic, murder, conspiracy, betrayal, and—for the two men tasked with unraveling the mystery—love and redemption….Read More »
Exposed by Bey Deckard
REVIEWED by Caroline
TITLE: Exposed
AUTHOR: Bey Deckard
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 264 Pages
RELEASE DATE: March 15, 2017
BLURB:
With middle-age looming, Greg offsets his boring day job with what truly feeds his soul: photography. The camera is an extension of himself where he exposes his passion for the intersect of pleasure and pain. However, the lens also acts as a barrier, protecting his subjects from the shameful mistakes of his past, and Greg is left isolated and lonely.
Emyr stands on the cusp of fame, but adulation and abuse are both eroding his confidence, and one night, at the river’s edge, he seeks solace in the rain, hoping to hide his tears.
The photographer and the virgin rock star share an accidental connection on that dark, drizzly night. When Greg invites Emyr back to his hotel room, no strings attached, the young man should have bolted. Instead, an odd sense of trust allows him to follow Greg’s lead.
When the camera comes out, Emyr learns the stage isn’t the only place he loves to perform as Greg touches something inside him that rarely awakens. Faced with a beautiful, talented boy whose soul is as lonely as his own, will Greg be able to face his past and come to terms with it, or will he run from the connection he so desperately desires?….Read More »
Insight (The Community #1) by Santino Hassell
Reviewed by Amber
TITLE: Insight
SERIES: The Community #1
AUTHOR: Santino Hassell
PUBLISHER: Riptide Publishing
LENGTH: 331 pages
RELEASE DATE: March 13th, 2017
BLURB:
Growing up the outcast in an infamous family of psychics, Nate Black never learned how to control his empath abilities. Then after five years without contact, his estranged twin turns up dead in New York City. The claim of suicide doesn’t ring true, especially when a mysterious vision tells Nate it was murder. Now his long-hated gift is his only tool to investigate.
Hitching from his tiny Texas town, Nate is picked up by Trent, a gorgeous engineer who thrives on sarcasm and skepticism. The heat that sparks between them is instant and intense, and Nate ends up trusting Trent with his secrets—something he’s never done before. But once they arrive in the city, the secrets multiply when Nate discovers an underground supernatural community, more missing psychics, and frightening information about his own talent.
Nate is left questioning his connection with Trent. Are their feelings real, or are they being propelled by abilities Nate didn’t realize he had? His fear of his power grows, but Nate must overcome it to find his brother’s killer and trust himself with Trent’s heart.…Read More »
Skythane by J. Scott Coatsworth
Reviewed by Dan
TITLE: Skythane
AUTHOR: J. Scott Coatsworth
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 244 Pages
RELEASE DATE: February 17, 2017
BLURB:
Jameson Havercamp, a psych from a conservative religious colony, has come to Oberon—unique among the Common Worlds—in search of a rare substance called pith. He’s guided through the wilds on his quest by Xander Kinnson, a handsome, cocky skythane with a troubled past.
Neither knows that Oberon is facing imminent destruction. Even as the world starts to fall apart around them, they have no idea what’s coming—or the bond that will develop between them as they race to avert a cataclysm.
Together, they will journey to uncover the secrets of this strange and singular world, even as it takes them beyond the bounds of reality itself to discover what truly binds them together….Read More »
Taboo Book 1 by Kol Anderson
REVIEWED by Caroline
TITLE: Taboo (Book 1)
SERIES: Taboo
AUTHOR: Kol Anderson
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 41 Pages
RELEASE DATE: February 7, 2017
BLURB:
Jake Ross never had it easy. He’s learned to accept he won’t have the life his friends have. With an abusive alcoholic for a father and a younger brother far too good for this world, all Jake focuses on is keeping his kid brother safe.
But when their father goes one step too far and introduces Weldon to their lives, it sets off a series of events that will change all their lives.
**Trigger Warnings**
Graphic depictions of rape, incest, violence.
Dub con, non con, abuse, childhood trauma, self-harm.
Dark themes throughout.
Author Note: HEED. THE. WARNING.
This is a messed up book….Read More »
Lickety Split by Damon Suede
Duo Review by Cinnamon & Amber
TITLE: Lickety Split
AUTHOR: Damon Suede
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner
LENGTH: 286 Pages
RELEASE DATE: March 13th, 2017
BLURB:
Lickety Split: Love won’t wait.
Patch Hastle grew up in a hurry, ditching East Texas for NYC to make his name as a DJ and model without ever looking back. When his parents die unexpectedly, he heads home to unload the family farm ASAP and skedaddle. Except the will left Patch’s worst enemy in charge: his father’s handsome best friend who made his high school years hell.
Tucker Biggs is going nowhere. Twenty years past his rodeo days, he’s put down roots as the caretaker of the Hastle farm. He knows his buddy’s smartass son still hates his guts, but when Patch shows up growed-up, looking like sin in tight denim, Tucker turns his homecoming into a lesson about old dogs and new kinks.
Patch and Tucker fool around, but they can’t fool themselves. Once the farm’s sold, they mean to call it quits and head off to separate sunsets. With the clock ticking, the city slicker and his down-home hick get roped into each other’s life. If they’re gonna last longer than spit on a griddle, they better figure out what matters—fast….Read More »