IT IS THAT TIME AGAIN!
Welcome to our Book of the Month Poll for April 2018!
Here are your voter chosen top two from each week in no particular order. Please vote for your favorites and you can vote for as many as you want, but as with our Book of the Week Poll you only get one visit, so make it count!
Remember, the top two go through to the Book of the Year Poll!
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…
Soul to Keep by Garrett Leigh
REVIEWED BY CINDY
TITLE: Soul to Keep 
SERIES: Rented Heart Book 2
AUTHOR: Garrett Leigh
PUBLISHER: Fox Love Press
LENGTH: 210 Pages
RELEASE DATE: April 2, 2018
BLURB:
Recovering addict Jamie Yorke has returned to England from California. With no home or family to speak of, he sticks a pin in a map and finds a small town in the Derbyshire Peak District. Matlock Bath is a quiet place—he just needs to get there, keep his head down, and stay clean. Simple, right? Until a chance meeting on the flight home alters the course of his so-called life forever.
Ex-Army medic Marc Ramsey is recovering from life-changing combat injuries while pulling nights as a trauma specialist at the local hospital. Keeping busy is a habit he can’t quit, but when Jamie—so wild and beautiful—bursts into his life, working himself into the ground isn’t as compelling as it used to be.
Marc falls hard, but chaos lurks behind Jamie’s fragile facade. He’s winning his battle against addiction, but another old foe is slowly consuming him. Both men have weathered many storms, but the path to the peace they deserve might prove the roughest ride yet. Read More »
Santori Reborn (Santori Trilogy #2) by Maris Black
REVIEWED by Jen B.
TITLE: Santori Reborn
AUTHOR: Maris Black
PUBLISHER: Self-Published
LENGTH: 225 Pages
RELEASE DATE: March 31, 2018
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MICHAEL KAGE SANTORI doesn’t think his life can get any more complicated. Juggling a new business, a fledgling UFC career, and the only real relationship he’s ever had is taking a toll on him both mentally and physically. After being attacked for daring to question the inner workings of his own business, he is left broken and confused. The discovery of his uncle’s journals has brought him face-to-face with a past he never understood, and the new perspective has him reeling. Add to that the fact that he hasn’t been totally honest with the love of his life, and you have a recipe for a serious nervous breakdown.
When an old friend resurfaces with new information, Kage discovers things are only going to get worse before they get better. If he ever hopes to free himself from the chains of his uncle’s dark legacy, he’s going to have to become something he never wanted to be.
And risk losing the only person he’s ever truly loved.
JAMIE ATWOOD is in over his head. Instead of the happily ever after he’d envisioned, moving in with Kage has only been one disappointment after another. Kage has come out to the entire world and still managed to keep his reputation and his UFC contract intact, but mysterious forces Jamie has yet to discover are transforming his sexy alpha fighter into someone he doesn’t recognize anymore.
If Kage doesn’t come clean soon, Jamie fears he’s going to have to leave. With his journalism degree and a newly-flourishing MMA blog, he knows he’s got what it takes to make it on his own financially. It’s his heart he’s worried about.
Because without Kage by his side, what is there to live for?
MEANWHILE IN ANOTHER LIFETIME…
PETER SANTORI has found his bliss. Being Gio’s boy is a dream come true for a guy who thought he was doomed to a life of abuse and poverty. His confidence and sense of security are flourishing in the warm glow of Gio’s love, and he has started to believe that maybe he can have the fairytale after all.
Never mind that he’s got to keep the true nature of their relationship a secret. Never mind that one of Gio’s associates seems to have something against him. And never mind that sometimes he gets the feeling that there’s a lot more to Gio than meets the eye. All that matters is that he and Gio are together.
4 EVER & EVER… Read More »
Inked in Vegas (Heathens Ink #5.5) by K.M. Neuhold
Reviewed by Danielle
TITLE: Inked in Vegas
SERIES: Heathens Ink #5.5
AUTHOR: K.M. Neuhold
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 2017kb
RELEASE DATE: April 3 ,2018
BLURB:
“We’re going to be married in a week. You’re going to be my husband, and we’re going to live happily ever after.” ~Madden
It feels like I’ve been waiting to marry Thane my entire life. And with our big day only a week away, our friends insist on a bachelor party in Vegas.
An outrageous scavenger hunt, an unexpected trip to the altar, and a wild night with an ex-boyfriend. You know we don’t do anything half-assed.
***This is a multi-POV novella with lots of sexy times (including one MF and one MMF scene). Unlike the rest of the Heathens Ink series, this one CANNOT be read as a standalone.
Deadly Dorian (Ward Security #3) by Jocelynn Drake & Rinda Elliott
REVIEWED by Jen B.
TITLE: Deadly Dorian
SERIES: Ward Security #3
AUTHORS: Rinda Elliot and Jocelynn Drake
PUBLISHER: Self-Published
LENGTH: 251 Pages
RELEASE DATE: April 13, 2018
BLURB:
Someone is trying to kill Marc Foster.
Attempted poisoning was bad enough, but when the would-be killer messes with the brakes on Marc’s precious Porsche, the art dealer admits he needs help. He just wasn’t expecting help to be quite so dark and sexy.
Royce Karras loves his job at Ward Security. He’s making up for a lifetime of bad decisions and a bloody past he’d rather forget. But Marc isn’t the spoiled rich boy he thought he’d be protecting. Sticking close to Marc as his “boyfriend” gives Royce insight into his toxic family, but it also reveals a brilliant, compassionate man who completely disarms Royce. Against his better judgment, Royce finds himself falling.
But can they find a way to make it work when Royce’s past threatens to tear their lives apart? Their futures hinges on a lost Renaissance painting, six Bichon Frises, and a pornographic Robin Hood.
No worries, right? Read More »
Alpha’s Sacrifice (Irresistible Omegas #1) by Nora Phoenix
Reviewed by Becca and Kat
TITLE: Alpha’s Sacrifice
SERIES: Irresistible Omegas #1
AUTHOR: Nora Phoenix
PUBLISHER: self-published
RELEASE DATE: April 13, 2018
BLURB:
an MMMM Mpreg Gay Romance
Four men, brought together by fate, connected in more powerful ways than they’d ever imagined.
Lidon, the powerful alpha-cop, determined to never trust another partner—until he helps a vulnerable omega through his heat and connects with him in a way that leaves him reeling.
Enar, the alpha-doctor who dedicates his life to serving omegas who need his help. He works himself to the bone, anything to drown out his inner voices that scream at him he’s not a real alpha.
Palani, the sassy beta reporter who will do anything to save his omega lover and childhood friend, even if it means watching another man claim him.
Vieno, the omega who suffers from a medical condition that requires an alpha’s help. It was supposed to be sex, but his attraction to the alpha goes much deeper. But how can he betray his soulmate and lover Palani like this?
When Vieno’s freedom is endangered, he needs Lidon to save him. The alpha steps up, but the consequences of his choice are more far-reaching than anyone of them had foreseen.
Four men try to figure out what they are to each other amidst political unrest, investigations into corruption and fraud, a medical issue that is far bigger and more sinister than it seemed at first, and old legends that are turning out to be real.
Alpha’s Sacrifice is an MMMM mpreg gay romance and the first book in the Irresistible Omegas series. It is not a stand-alone and ends on a cliffhanger. Please note the triggers warnings in the front of the book. Read More »
Squared Away (Out of Uniform #5) by Annabeth Albert
Reviewed by Annika
TITLE: Squared Away 
SERIES: Out of Uniform #5
AUTHOR: Annabeth Albert
PUBLISHER: Carina Press
RELEASE DATE: April 16, 2018
LENGTH: 352 pages
BLURB:
In the wake of tragedy, SEAL Mark Whitley rushed stateside to act as guardian to his sister’s three young children. But a conflicting will could give custody to someone else—someone Mark remembers as a too young, too hot, wild party boy. Even after six years, Mark can’t shake the memory of his close encounter with Isaiah James, or face up to what it says about his own sexuality.
Isaiah’s totally over the crush that made him proposition Mark all those years ago. In fact, he’s done with crushing on the wrong men altogether. For now, he’s throwing himself into proving he’s the best person to care for his cousin’s kids. But there’s no denying there’s something sexy about a big, tough military man with a baby in his arms.
As the legal details get sorted out, their long-buried attraction resurfaces, leading to intimate evenings after the kids are tucked in. A forever future is within reach for all of them, if only Mark can find the courage he needs to trust Isaiah with his secrets—and his heart. Read More
Wilde Fire (Forever Wilde #3) Lucy Lennox
Reviewed by Kimberley
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ITLE: Wilde Fire
SERIES: Forever Wilde # 3
AUTHOR: Lucy Lennox
PUBLISHER: Self Publishing
LENGTH: 314 pages
RELEASE DATE: March 18, 2018
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Otto:
Seth Walker was my first love and I always swore he’d be my last. Even after he moved away our senior year in high school, we vowed to reunite after graduation. But when he suddenly broke things off without explanation and crushed my heart, it was my turn to run.
After a decade in the navy, I’ve finally come home ready to move on with my life as Hobie’s newest firefighter. Unfortunately, the minute I set eyes on the new sheriff in town, I know I’m screwed. Hobie’s top cop is none other than Seth Walker.
Turns out, he’s come home too. And hell if he doesn’t have a lot of explaining to do.
Walker:
I thought I was doing the right thing when I walked away from Otto Wilde ten years ago without an explanation. I was wrong. I also thought I could come back home without having to face my past mistakes. I was wrong about that too.
What I’m not wrong about: The fact that my heart catches fire every time I set eyes on the sexy man. The fact that I can’t imagine my life without him. The fact that things are still just as complicated now as they were then. And the fact that I have a lot of work ahead of me if I expect to win him back.
Just when things start heating up between us again, a serial arsonist strikes and suspicion falls close to home. I already lost Otto to a secret long ago but I’ll be damned if I let another threaten to send our future up in smoke.
Because Otto Wilde is mine, and I don’t plan on ever letting him go again.
Each novel in the Forever Wilde series can be read on its own or as part of the series. Fair warning, there will be nekkid man parts touching, meddling patriarchs, sweet second-chance love themes, and a dearly departed donkey named Debbie Gibson.
Love in Spades (Four Kings Security #1) by Charlie Cochet
REVIEWED by Jen B.
TITLE: Love in Spades
SERIES: Four Kings Security #1
AUTHOR: Charlie Cochet
PUBLISHER: Charlie Cochet
LENGTH: 300 Pages
RELEASE DATE: March 24, 2018
BLURB:
Ex-Special Forces soldier Anston “Ace” Sharpe is fighting a different battle these days—one involving the world of private security across the state of Florida. As part owner of Four Kings Security, Ace and his fellow Kings tackle everything from armed transport and investigations to cyber intelligence and executive protection. Cocky, fearless, and brash, Ace isn’t afraid to take risks.
After years of working alongside his father, Colton Connolly is ready to take the helm at Connolly Maritime, but his father’s retirement is put on hold when Colton begins receiving death threats. If that isn’t bad enough, his father signs a contract with Four Kings Security to provide Colton with round-the-clock protection, despite his adamant refusal. Colton’s life has been turned upside down, the last thing he needs is a shadow, especially in the form of infuriating, sexy-as-sin Ace Sharpe, who seems to be on a mission to drive Colton mad.
Sparks fly the moment Colton and Ace meet on a sultry night club dance floor. But getting involved with a client, even one as fiery and beautiful as Colton Connolly, is a line Ace is unwilling to cross. Colton might be attracted to Ace, but he’d been burned before. He might be willing to put his life in Ace’s hands, but not his heart.
As the Florida nights heat up, so does their passion, and Ace and Colton are faced with a difficult choice—take the plunge and risk it all, or play it safe and walk away?
If Ace can keep a deadly threat from robbing Colton of a future….
Unbroken (The Protectors #12) by Sloane Kennedy
REVIEWED by Jen B.
TITLE: Unbroken
SERIES: The Protectors #12
AUTHOR: Sloane Kennedy
PUBLISHER: Sloane Kennedy
LENGTH: 2075kb
RELEASE DATE: May 3, 2018
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Everything was supposed to go back to normal when I was rescued. It hasn’t. And I’m starting to think it never will because I don’t even know what normal is anymore…
It’s been two years since Aleks Silva was rescued by his older brother from the dark underworld of sex trafficking and every day since then has been a battle. Leaving the house, interacting with people, even doing something as boring as deciding what clothes to wear or what to eat for breakfast are tasks that most people take for granted. But for Aleks, they’re torture. Because freedom and choice are things that once came at a steep price and survival meant submitting to the whims of those who only saw him as a possession and plaything.
Until there was one man who saw him as something more…
I knew from the moment I saw him that I was going to get him out. But I also knew once I did, I’d need to let him go…
He’s known as Vaughn and nothing more. His job is to make sure secrets don’t get out and the possessions he’s been tasked with guarding never escape and tell their story. After eight years in a world where innocent kids are used to feed the darkest of depravities, Vaughn has seen things that would break even the strongest man. But he’s played it smart and built up a wall between himself and the darkness that threatens to consume him.
It wasn’t until he met a young man who had to be a thousand times stronger to survive the life he was forced into as a child that the first crack appeared in his carefully constructed wall.
Vaughn’s only job was to make sure young Aleks Silva remained the ugly little secret of one of the most powerful men in Chicago. It was one job he was more than happy to fail at, and when he eliminated the threat against Aleks and set him free, he was sure their paths would never cross again.
But fate has other plans…
Vaughn is the only man from my other life who never had a starring role in my nightmares… but he’s been in every one of my dreams. And I don’t know why…
When Aleks is suddenly abducted after leaving work one quiet spring evening, he’s certain he’ll never see his brother and family again. But terror quickly turns to relief when a familiar face once again comes to his rescue, along with all the feelings he’s always had but never quite understood around the dangerous, older Vaughn. Certain that Vaughn will make everything okay again like he did once before, Aleks knows he doesn’t even need to ask Vaughn to take him home. But when he does anyway, nothing he’s ever experienced prepares him for Vaughn’s answer… or the brutal betrayal that comes along with it.
I’m sorry, Aleks, I can’t do that.
Trigger Warning: Sexual Assault Against a Minor
*Can be read as a standalone novel but if you have not read any books in this series, you may want to at least read Book 6, Atonement, first. Atonement is the story of Aleks’s brother, Dante, and both brothers appear in each other’s books so it is helpful to know their backstories.
The Protectors series crosses over with some of my other series, so for the most enjoyment, they should be read in order, but it is not required. You can find the correct reading order at the beginning of each book. I’ve also bundled all my series in the correct reading order under the title of A Family Chosen: The Protectors and Barrettis.
Tank (Ballsy Boys #2) by K.M. Neuhold & Nora Phoenix
Reviewed by Kat
TITLE: Tank
SERIES: Ballsy Boys #2
AUTHOR: K.M. Neuhold & Nora Phoenix
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 420 Pages
RELEASE DATE: April 28, 2018
BLURB:
Tank
Shallow pretty boy, conceited fuckboy, immature assclown. Take your pick, they all apply to Brewer. The world is his ass buffet and we’re all on the menu. I’ve never hated anyone like I hate Brewer. But when Rebel pairs us to do a scene together, I have to admit I’m looking forward to taking all my irritation out on his…well, you get the picture. But when one scene turns into a whole fake relationship, I’m not sure we’re going to make it out of this without some bloodshed.
Brewer
Tank has got to be the most boring, stuck up ass I have ever met. That man does not know how to have fun, not even when he’s doing a scene. And if there’s one reason to smile, it’s working with me, right? All the more reason to keep my real self from him because he’d laugh me out of the room. But when we have to pretend we actually like each other, something unexpected happens. The more time we spend together, the more I see a different side of him…and dare to show a different side of me. What the hell is happening?
Tank is the second book in the Ballsy Boys Production series. It can be read as a stand-alone, but it more fun reading in order. Expect plenty of laughs and a lot of sparks.
In love with Sloane’s work! Unbroken is one of the best books she written!