Reviewed by Christine

TITLE: Darkest Hour Before Dawn

SERIES: THIRDS series #9

AUTHOR: Charlie Cochet

NARRATOR: Mark Westfield

PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press

LENGTH: 10 hours 8 minutes

RELEASE DATE: September 13, 2017

BLURB:

Sequel to Thick & Thin
THIRDS: Book Nine

THIRDS Team Leader Sebastian Hobbs and Chief Medical Examiner Hudson Colbourn are as much in love now as they were nearly seven years ago when a tragic event on the job destroyed their relationship. The two drift together only to be pulled apart time and time again. When Hudson draws the interest of dangerous enemies, both within and outside the organization, Seb wants nothing more than to protect the man who still means everything to him.

As life-and-death events, an uncertain future, and startling truths draw Hudson and Seb to each other yet again, they must make a choice: trust their love and take strength from what they share, or lose what matters most… for good this time. Read more

Reviewed by PizzyGirl

TITLE: Counterblow

SERIES: Shatterproof Bond #4

AUTHOR: Isobel Starling

NARRATOR: Gary Furlong

PUBLISHER: Self Published

LENGTH: 4 hours, 54 minutes

RELEASE DATE: September 27, 2017

BLURB:

After the devastating events in the Scottish Highlands, Sam and Declan have moved on to a new, deeper level in their romance. Their commitment to each other is unquestionable; however, there are plenty of questions that need answering about other aspects of their lives, and those who sought to end them.

Sam is trying his best to deal with the day to day frustrations of his injuries. He’s completely dependent on Declan for everything and hates the way the scales have tipped in their relationship. Although he’s officially on leave, Sam’s mind cannot stop replaying all that happened to him and questioning why, and who is behind it all.

Declan’s relief at having Sam home throws him into house-husband mode. He’s happy to take the reins and care for his partner, however, beneath the surface, Declan cannot help but be drawn back to how he felt in the Highlands, and how they were betrayed by a man who was supposed to have their back. Declan had promised Sir James Aiken that he would pay if he hurt Sam, and now Declan has to decide how he can deliver his payback and put his and Sam’s world back on an even keel. Read more

Reviewed by Tori (Vicki)

TITLE: Buried Bones 

SERIES: Bones #2

AUTHOR: Kim Fielding

NARRATOR: John Solo

PUBLISHER:  Dreamspinner Press

LENGTH: 8 hours

RELEASE DATE: September 25th, 2017

BLURB:

Werewolves don’t have a how-to manual—nor do men embarking on a new life together.

It’s been a few weeks since Dylan Warner wolfed out and killed Andy, the crazed werewolf who originally turned him and later tried to murder Chris Nock. Architect Dylan and handyman Chris are still refurbishing Dylan’s old house as they work out the structure of their relationship. They come from very different backgrounds, and neither has had a long-term lover before, so negotiating their connections would be challenge enough even if Dylan didn’t turn into a beast once a month.

To make matters worse, Dylan’s house is haunted, and events from both men’s pasts are catching up with them. Dylan has to cope with the aftermath of killing Andy, and Chris continues to suffer the effects of a difficult childhood.

In his quest to get rid of the ghost, Dylan rekindles old friendships and faces new dangers. At the same time, Chris’s father makes a sudden reappearance, stirring up old emotions. If Dylan and Chris want to build a lasting relationship, they’ll have to meet these challenges head-on. Read more

REVIEWED by Christie

TITLE: The Mystery of the Curiosities

SERIES: Snow & Winter, Book 2

AUTHOR: C. S. Poe

NARRATOR: Derrick McClain

PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press

LENGTH: 7h 15m

RELEASE DATE: July 31, 2017

BLURB:

Life has been pretty great for Sebastian Snow. The Emporium is thriving and his relationship with NYPD homicide detective, Calvin Winter, is everything he’s ever wanted. With Valentine’s Day around the corner, Sebastian’s only cause for concern is whether Calvin should be taken on a romantic date. It’s only when an unknown assailant smashes the Emporium’s window and leaves a peculiar note behind that all plans get pushed aside in favor of another mystery.

Sebastian is quickly swept up in a series of grisly yet seemingly unrelated murders. The only connection tying the deaths together are curiosities from the lost museum of P.T. Barnum. Despite Calvin’s attempts to keep Sebastian out of the investigation, someone is forcing his hand, and it becomes apparent that the entire charade exists for Sebastian to solve. With each clue that brings him closer to the killer, he’s led deeper into Calvin’s official cases.

It’s more than just Sebastian’s livelihood and relationship on the line—it’s his very life. Read more

REVIEWED by Christie

TITLE: Manny Get Your Guy

SERIES: Dreamspun Desires, and The Mannies, book 2

AUTHOR: Amy Lane

NARRATOR: John Solo

PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press

LENGTH: 6h 16m

RELEASE DATE: August 10, 2017

BLURB:

Starting over and falling in love.

Tino Robbins’s sister, Nica, and her husband, Jacob, are expecting their fifth child. Fortunately, Nica’s best friend, Taylor Cochran, is back in town, released from PT and in need of a job.

After years in the service and recovering from grave injury, Taylor has grown a lot from the callow troublemaker he’d been in high school. Now he’s hoping for a fresh start with Nica and her family.

Jacob’s cousin Brandon lives above the garage and thinks “Taylor the manny” is a bad idea. Taylor might be great at protecting civilians from a zombie apocalypse, but is he any good with kids?

Turns out Taylor’s a natural. As he tries to fit in, using common sense and dry wit, Brandon realizes that Taylor doesn’t just love their family—he’s desperate to be part of it. And just like that, Brandon wants Taylor to be part of his future. Read more

REVIEWED by Christie

TITLE: Return of the Chauffeur’s Son

AUTHOR: Tara Lain

NARRATOR: Greg Tremblay

PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press

LENGTH: 6h 28m

RELEASE DATE: September 28, 2017

BLURB:

Luca McGrath may be returning to Napa Valley, California, as a promising chef with dreams of starting his own restaurant and winery, but his heart still lives with the bad-boy son of a billionaire James Armstrong. Luca spent his childhood playing games with the golden boy of California society, so blinded by James he barely noticed the dark, quiet lure of his conservative older brother, Dylan Armstrong.

But now Luca’s home, and his own powers of attraction are enough to make James question his dedicated heterosexuality and his promised marriage to a wealthy and powerful businesswoman. The obvious attraction between Luca and James spurs Dylan into action – but he’s fighting a huge secret. While Luca dreamed of James, Dylan dreamed of Luca. When Luca gets caught in the struggle between the brothers and gets accused of culinary espionage, he’s ready to chuck the fairy tale – unable to even imagine Dylan’s power to make his dreams come true. Read more

Reviewed by Tori (Vicki)

TITLE: Good Bones 

SERIES: Bones #1

AUTHOR: Kim Fielding

NARRATOR: Nick J. Russo

PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press

LENGTH: 5 hours 53 mintes

RELEASE DATE: November 17th, 2015

BLURB:

Skinny, quiet hipster Dylan Warner was the kind of guy other men barely glanced at until an evening’s indiscretion with a handsome stranger turned him into a werewolf. Now, despite a slightly hairy handicap, he just wants to live an ordinary—if lonely—life as an architect. He tries to keep his wild impulses in check, but after one too many close calls, Dylan gives up his urban life and moves to the country, where he will be less likely to harm someone else. His new home is a dilapidated but promising house that comes with a former Christmas tree farm and a solitary neighbor: sexy, rustic Chris Nock.

Dylan hires Chris to help him renovate the farmhouse and quickly discovers his assumptions about his neighbor are inaccurate—and that he’d very much like Chris to become a permanent fixture in his life as well as his home. Between proving himself to his boss, coping with the seductive lure of his dangerous ex-lover, and his limited romantic experience, Dylan finds it hard enough to express himself—how can he bring up his monthly urge to howl at the moon? Read more

Reviewed by Christine J.

TITLE: The Innocent Auction

SERIES: Innocents #1

AUTHOR: Victoria Sue

NARRATOR: Joel Leslie

PUBLISHER: self-published

LENGTH: 6 hours 44 minutes

RELEASE DATE: June 20, 2017

BLURB:

London 1810.

Their love was a death sentence.

Deacon, Viscount Carlisle, was aware of the slums and gin-lanes of London. Just as he was aware of the underground traffic that furnished the brothels and bath houses with human innocents. He was also aware that the so-called justice system would hang the accused without much of an attempt at a defense, unless the unfortunate had deep pockets to pay for it.

He just hadn’t expected to be directly involved in any of it.

It started with a plea for help and ended with forbidden love, the love between a Viscount and a stable-boy. An impossible love and a guarantee of the hangman’s noose.

Will Deacon fight for Tom? Will he risk the death sentence and take that fight from the stately halls of his English mansion to the horrors of Newgate Prison and the slums of London?

Or will he realize that if he doesn’t, death will be a welcome end to the loneliness of the sentence he is already living? Read more

REVIEWED by Christie

TITLE: Facing West

SERIES: Forever Wilde series, Book 1

AUTHOR: Lucy Lennox

NARRATOR: Michael Pauley

PUBLISHER: Self Published

LENGTH: 9h 25m

RELEASE DATE: September 20, 2017

BLURB:

Nico:

I left my family and tiny Texas hometown 15 years ago to escape small-town gossips and to give my mom and sister the chance at a better life. But when a phone call from an attorney back home informs me that my sister passed away, leaving me custody of her newborn baby, I’m shocked out of the steady life I’ve built for myself running a tattoo shop in San Francisco.
The thing is: I don’t do babies. And I don’t do small towns. Or commitment. And I especially don’t do family. My plan is to go back to Hobie just long enough to sign adoption papers, giving my niece the kind of stable, loving family I could never provide.
But the moment I meet my niece in the arms of Weston Wilde, my sister’s best friend and the town’s handsome doctor, my plans begin to change. Because suddenly, I see a different future. One with the very thing I thought I never deserved: a family. If only I can convince West that I’m not the same good-for-nothing kid ready to bolt when things get tough.
Weston:

There’s one thing I know for sure about Nico Salerno: he was a good-for-nothing as a kid and judging by the purple-haired, tattooed punk who shows up at his sister’s funeral, he hasn’t changed. There’s no way I’m letting him take custody of my best friend’s baby.
But the more time I spend around him, the more I realize that his rough exterior is just a shell and that beneath all the tattoos is a scared, insecure man searching for a place to belong. And pretty soon I know exactly where he belongs: in my bed and by my side.
The problem is, he abandoned his family once before, how do I know that if we become a family he won’t do it again? Read more

Reviewed by Louisa

TITLE: Red Dirt Heart 3 

SERIES: Red Dirt

AUTHOR: N.R. Walker

NARRATOR: Joel Leslie

PUBLISHER: Audiobook, Love Lane Books Ltd

LENGTH: 8 hours 48 mins

RELEASE DATE:  September 4, 2017

BLURB:

Life for Charlie Sutton has never been better, or busier. With Travis now a permanent fixture of Sutton Station, a permanent fixture at Charlie’s side, Charlie’s convinced he couldn’t do anything on his ever-growing to-do list without him.

He can run a multimillion dollar cattle business, finish his degree, try and further the local beef industry, deal with staff issues, Ma’s failing health, and an attention-demanding wombat. He can even deal with an unexpected visitor and some shattering news.

He can deal with it all, as long as he has Travis.

But what happens when he doesn’t?

Red Dirt Heart 3 is the story of Charlie Sutton finally realising he can be the man Travis Craig deserves, even if he doesn’t have Travis. It’s a story of love, family, holding on, letting go and coming home. Read more

REVIEWED by Christie

TITLE: Played!

SERIES: Shamwell Tales, book 2

AUTHOR: JL Merrow

NARRATOR: Mark Steadman

PUBLISHER: Riptide Publishing

LENGTH: 6h 58m

RELEASE DATE: September 15, 2017

BLURB:

All the world’s a stage…but life doesn’t come with a script. Posh boy Tristan Goldsmith has one last summer of freedom before he joins the family firm in New York – no more farting around on stage, as his father puts it. But the classically trained actor can’t resist when the Shamwell Amateur Dramatics Society begs him to take a leading role in their production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. As an added incentive, he’ll be giving private acting lessons to a gorgeous local handyman who’s been curiously resistant to Tristan’s advances. As a late-diagnosed dyslexic still struggling with literacy, Con Izzard’s never dared to act before. With arrogant yet charming Tristan helping him with his lines, he finally has his chance to shine. But Con’s determined not to start a romance with a man he’s convinced only wants a casual fling. Tristan’s never been one to back down from a challenge, especially when he realizes his attraction to the tall, muscular handyman isn’t just physical. Just as he thinks he’s finally won Con’s heart – and given his own in return – disaster strikes with a slip of the tongue that shatters Con’s trust and sends him running for cover. This show may be over before the curtains even opened. Read more

REVIEWED by Christie

TITLE: Horny

SERIES: My Haunted Blender’s Gay Love Affair and Other Twisted Tales, Book 3

AUTHOR: Anne Tenino

NARRATOR: Nick J. Russo

PUBLISHER: Riptide Publishing

LENGTH: 3h 37m

RELEASE DATE: September 28, 2017

BLURB:

Ryan Caulfield is a devout avoider of risk, so it comes as a surprise when he agrees to help a group of supernatural law enforcers catch Zeus (the god voted Least Likely to Keep It in His Pants). But how could he say no? He’s nothing if not law-abiding, even if it’s a legal code from another plane of existence. Besides, it all seems harmless enough . . . at least until the half-naked and all-hot immortal with wings and horns shows up.

In his century as an investigator for the Olympic pantheon, Leander of the eroté has solved a lot of cases and slept with a lot of humans. But on this investigation, it looks like he won’t be doing either. His assigned task is bogus, and the most alluring mortal he’s ever met is determined to avoid hooking up.

But the pull Leander feels toward Ryan the bartender won’t let him turn his attention away for long. Soon, he finds himself interested in much more than his usual dalliances with mortals. Now if only he can convince Ryan he’s worth the risk. Read more

Reviewed by PizzyGirl

TITLE: The Palisade

SERIES: Lavender Shores #1

AUTHOR: Rosalind Abel

NARRATOR: Kirt Graves

PUBLISHER: Wings of Ink Publications

LENGTH: 7 hours, 20 minutes

RELEASE DATE: September 13, 2017

BLURB:

Confident businessman Joel Rhodes sees the small California town of Lavender Shores as nothing more than a business opportunity and a final stepping stone to the position he’s been working toward his entire life. It was supposed to be just one night in town to close the deal, and sleeping with one of the local men, no matter how gorgeous, meant nothing more than a few hours of fun.

Andrew Kelly is perfectly content with the life he has in his hometown. So much so that the only thing missing is someone to share it with. Going to bed with a tourist was never meant to be the answer to his dreams, just a beautiful distraction. He could get back to looking for Mr. Right the next day.

Both Andrew’s and Joel’s worlds are turned upside down when a few hours of pleasure get extended to a couple of days. Even that shouldn’t have been a big deal. You can’t fall in love in that amount of time. That isn’t how it works. However, if destinies collide, a few short days may be all it takes to find your soul mate. Even so, when secrets and motivations get tangled, fate may do nothing more than leave two hearts in pieces. Read more

Reviewed by Tori (Vicki)

TITLE: Afraid to Fly 

SERIES: Anchor Point #2

AUTHOR: L.A. Witt

NARRATOR: Nick J. Russo

PUBLISHER: Riptide Publishing

LENGTH: 9 hours 22 minutes

RELEASE DATE: August 31st, 2017

BLURB:

Once a fearless fighter pilot, Commander Travis Wilson is now confined to a desk. It’s been eight years since the near-fatal crash that grounded him, and it still rules his life thanks to relentless back pain.

Lieutenant Commander Clint Fraser almost drowned in a bottle after a highly classified catastrophe while piloting a drone. His downward spiral cost him his marriage and kids, but he’s sober now and getting his life back on track. He’s traded drones for a desk, and he’s determined to reconcile with his kids and navigate the choppy waters of PTSD.

Clint has been on Travis’s radar ever since he transferred to Anchor Point. When Clint comes out to his colleagues, it’s a disaster, but there’s a silver lining: now that Travis knows Clint is into men, the chemistry between them explodes.

It’s all fun and games until emotions get involved. Clint’s never been in love with a man before. Travis has, and a decade later, that tragic ending still haunts him. Clint needs to coax him past his fear of crashing and burning again, or their love will be grounded before takeoff. Read more

Reviewed by PizzyGirl

TITLE: Mahu

SERIES: Mahu #1

AUTHOR: Neil S. Plakcy

NARRATOR: Joel Leslie

PUBLISHER: MLR Press

LENGTH: 11 hours

RELEASE DATE: August 8, 2017

BLURB:

Kimo Kanapa’aka’s world turns upside down in Mahu. At 32, the hero of Māhū has reached the pinnacle of his profession, detective on the Honolulu Police Department’s homicide squad, based at the Waikīkī station. But a difficult murder case, as well as turmoil in his personal life, is about to threaten everything he has worked for.

A life-threatening drug bust in chapter 1 makes Kimo realize that it’s time to stop lying to himself. He’s drawn to the Rod and Reel Club, a gay bar in Waikīkī, where he has a couple of beers and begins the long process of accepting his attraction to other men. Leaving the club, though, he stumbles onto two men dropping a dead body in an alley, and he launches himself into a nightmare where his private life becomes public news.

Kimo’s pursuit of this case takes him from the seamy underside of Chinatown to the elegance of million-dollar homes in Maunalani Heights, from gay bars where young men stride naked down runways to bloody crime scenes. Read more

Reviewed by Chris

TITLE:  The Rebuilding Year 

SERIES:  The Rebuilding Year #1

AUTHOR:  Kaje Harper

NARRATOR:  Gomez Pugh

PUBLISHER:  Self-Published

LENGTH:  9hrs 44mins

RELEASE DATE:  September 20, 2017

BLURB:  

Losing nearly everything leaves room for the one thing they can’t live without.

A few excruciating minutes pinned in a burning building cost Ryan Ward his job as a firefighter, the easy camaraderie of his coworkers, his girlfriend, and damn near cost him his left leg. Giving up, though, isn’t an option. Compared to the alternative, choosing a new profession, going back to school, and renting a room from the college groundskeeper are simple.

Until he realizes he’s falling in love with his housemate, and things take a turn for the complicated.

John Barrett knows about loss. After moving twice to stay in touch with his kids, he could only watch as his ex-wife whisked them away to California. Offering Ryan a room seems better than rattling around the empty house, but as casual friendship moves to something more, and a firestorm of emotions ignites, the big old house feels like tight quarters.

It’s nothing they can’t learn to navigate, though. But when dead bodies start turning up on campus—and one of the guys is a suspect—their first taste of real love could go up in smoke. Read more

Reviewed by PizzyGirl

TITLE: Can’t Hide From Me

AUTHOR: Cordelia Kingsbridge

NARRATOR: Nick J. Russo

PUBLISHER: Riptide Publishing

LENGTH: 9 hours, 18 minutes

RELEASE DATE: August 18, 2017

BLURB:

Charles Hunter’s team is on a mission to extract an unidentified ATF agent from an undercover job gone wrong. All they’ve got to go on is the rendezvous location – until Charles recognizes the ex he hasn’t seen in years. Their “simple rescue mission” is about to get a lot more complicated.

For Ángel Medina, adjusting to life after his cartel nightmare is hard enough without confronting memories of a failed relationship. All he wants is a fresh start. But when a violent stalker lashes out from the shadows, Ángel realizes his nightmare is far from over.

As the stalker’s obsession escalates and bodies start dropping, Charles and Ángel are thrown together in a desperate search for the culprit. Tempers flare and old passions reignite, drawing them back into the same turbulent relationship that once ended in disaster.

But the stalker isn’t letting go – and the next strike might hit straight through the heart. Read more

Reviewed by PizzyGirl

TITLE: Friendly Fire

AUTHOR: Cari Z.

NARRATOR: Nick J. Russo

PUBLISHER: Riptide Publishing

LENGTH: 8 hours, 5 minutes

RELEASE DATE: August 10, 2017

BLURB:

In a battle of wills, stubbornness could cost you your life.

Elliot McKenzie is the king of reinvention. Five years after losing his job, his lover, and almost going to prison, his self-help program, Charmed Life, is more successful than he’d ever dreamed. He thinks he’s put his sordid past firmly behind him, until he starts receiving cryptic threats, and realizes it might not be as over as he’d hoped.

Security expert Lennox West has been lost since a deadly skirmish in Afghanistan led to his forced retirement from the Army. His PTSD makes helping his ex raise their daughter a challenge. When his ex’s sister asks him to set her boss up with a security system, Lennox isn’t expecting anyone like Elliot McKenzie – a man who captures his attention, and makes him feel relaxed for the first time since leaving the service.

But Elliot is dangerously stubborn. Even as the threats against him escalate, he refuses to involve the police, and Lennox fears that stubbornness could kill him. A battle of wills ensues that brings them closer to each other than either man expected. But if the threats turn real, they might not live long enough to get their future together. Read more