Reviewed by Kat

TITLE: Reinventing Us

SERIES: The Rock Gods #9

AUTHOR: Ann Lister

PUBLISHER: Rock Gods, Inc.

LENGTH: 237 pages

RELEASE DATE: October 9, 2018

BLURB:

Alex-Zander Metcalf knew his life would always be filled with twists and turns, especially living in the public eye while playing the role of front man for his band Ivory Tower. That’s what made life interesting and he loved every aspect about his job in the music world.

Living in a long-term polyamorous relationship with a husband and a wife also created a fair amount of ups and downs. Add two rambunctious daughters to the house and you had a sweet cocktail of chaos and pure joy and the unexpected awaiting him every day. His life was overflowing, but he wouldn’t have changed a thing, because it was damn near perfect.

He knew nothing in life was guaranteed and never to take things for granted, but that didn’t have him anymore prepared for what he was facing now. With his life completely upside down, Alex wasn’t sure how he’d ever be able to move forward. But life as he knew it was gone, and it was up to him to dig deep and find a way through the fog with the only remaining “constant” in his life: Chase.

How do you find a new path when you feel so lost you can’t see the road ahead of you through the unrelenting darkness? Where do you even begin such a journey, when the landscape is so vastly different from what was once familiar, and the resentment you have for needing to start over tastes like acrid bitterness on your tongue?

Alex must find the strength to push on and find a way to reinvent himself and all the relationships in his life, but creating this new version of himself won’t come easy.

Reviewed by Becca

TITLE: On Andross Station

SERIES: Tracers Universe Novella

AUTHOR: J. C. Long

PUBLISHER: Ninestar Press

RELEASE DATE: August 28, 2018

BLURB:

Hikaru Adachi has come to Andross Station to discover what happened to colleague and fellow Inquisitor Katya. Thane, a tracer, has arrived at the station seeking a bounty on Galen Horn, one of the Unity of Planets’ most wanted men. They will find their paths cross as their interests intersect, and soon they are on a hunt that is more dangerous than they know, for Horn has enlisted some dangerous allies, including one from Thane’s past. If Thane and Hikaru together can’t bring Horn down, he will set in motion a plot that will see the entire station destroyed in an attack of massive proportions.

Reviewed by Becca

TITLE: Out in the End Zone

SERIES: Out in College #2

AUTHOR: Lane Hayes

PUBLISHER: self-published

LENGTH: 200 pages

RELEASE DATE:  October 9, 2018

BLURB:

Evan di Angelo is an upbeat, good-natured goofball who loves his friends and family… and football. A traumatic accident may have ended his hopes of playing professionally, but he’s made the most of his four years on the field at a small Southern California college. He’s learned the hard way to embrace change, take chances and try things outside of his comfort zone…like agreeing to play fake boyfriends for someone else’s senior project.
Mitch Peterson knows that being his authentic self is the path to true happiness. He’s grown from a shy, quiet kid from a broken home to an out and proud budding internet sensation bound for grad school. An awesome senior project is the key. It’s unlikely anyone will believe the hunky, straight athlete is Mitch’s new lover, but it’s worth a shot. However, as their tentative friendship blossoms into unexpected attraction, the lines between reality and fiction blur for both men. Evan is forced to face old demons and decide if he has the courage to take the next step and come out in the end zone.

Reviewed by Kat

TITLE: Order and Anarchy

SERIES: Thin Blue Line #2

AUTHOR: Patricia Logan

PUBLISHER: Westburg Publishing

LENGTH: 333 pages

RELEASE DATE: October 2, 2018

BLURB:

Homeland Security investigators Felix Jbarra and Pope Dades are about to work their first big case as partners. Someone is creating counterfeit government documents and selling them through a site similar to the old Silk Road which was shut down years ago. As they dive into the case with the help of their friends at the FBI and LAPD, Felix and Pope realize the Dark Web site is selling more than documents. It’s selling death.

When a man connected with the website turns up murdered, it’s all hands on deck and with so many letter agencies involved in this case, coordinating all parties is bound to be a challenge. When yet another agency unexpectedly gets involved, their bosses would find it laughable if it wasn’t so damned dangerous.

Felix and Pope are getting used to being partners but they are well-trained professionals who must learn to trust each other at work as well as at home. When a bomb almost kills them, they have no choice but to shorten that learning curve. From the mean streets of Hollywood to unfamiliar places on the Dark Net, our heroes put themselves in danger every moment, trying their best to protect innocents while keeping each other alive.

Order and Anarchy contains an exciting excerpt from Crime and Chaos Book 3!

Reviewed by Kat

TITLE: A Tangled Truth

SERIES: Stonewall Investigations #3

AUTHOR: Max Walker

PUBLISHER: Self Published

LENGTH: 271 pages

RELEASE DATE: September 14, 2018

BLURB:

Liam Wolfe isn’t having the best of days. He’s being falsely accused of things he’d never even think of doing and is now facing the loss of his career because of it. He has an idea of who’s behind the attempt at assassinating his character but can’t put the pieces together by himself.

Mark Masters isn’t having any better of a time. He’s sitting in his office at Stonewall Investigations, getting work done, when his boyfriend of a year walks in with the sole goal of breaking up with him. He’s blindsided by the development and thinks not much else can surprise him.

He was very wrong.

Moments after the breakup, Liam walks into Mark’s office looking for help and a connection that had been lost for years suddenly reignites. As childhood best friends, Mark and Liam were inseparable. As adults, they’ll come to learn not much has changed.

With a second chance on the horizon, Mark and Liam explore something that fear had cut them off from as kids. They’ll do it while working together to unravel the truth behind Liam’s case, risking everything they’ve regained in the process.

REVIEWED BY CINDY

TITLE: Lone Wolf

AUTHOR: Anna Martin

PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press

LENGTH: 247 Pages

RELEASE DATE: October 9, 2018

BLURB:

Jackson Lewis isn’t a typical werewolf. He isolates himself in a small town outside Spokane and dedicates himself to making his business—Lone Wolf Brewery—a success. If it leaves him little time for romance, he’s okay with that. His soul mate could be out there somewhere, but he isn’t actively looking.

So he’s in for quite the shock when he literally bumps into his soul mate—Leo Gallagher, an adorable, nerdy, vibrant music therapist who’s Jackson’s polar opposite.

But he’s human. And a man.

Jackson is straight—or at least he’s always assumed so. Though he can’t deny his attraction to Leo, it’s a lot for both of them to deal with.

While Jackson and Leo figure out what their future might hold, they face prejudice from both the human and werewolf communities—including a group of fanatics willing to kill to show humans and werewolves don’t belong together.

Reviewed by Roberta

TITLE: Craft Brew

SERIES: Trouble Brewing # 2

AUTHOR: Layla Reyne

PUBLISHER: Carina Press

LENGTH: 304 Pages

RELEASE DATE:  October 8, 2018

BLURB:

Assistant US attorney Dominic Price is staring down the barrel of his father’s debts. The bull’s-eye on his back makes him a threat to everyone he cares about, so when his lover wants to go public with their relationship, he bolts. Not because he isn’t in love—he can’t stomach the thought of putting Cam in danger.

Kidnap and rescue expert Cameron Byrne is determined to figure out what trouble Nic is running from, but devastating news from home brings him back to Boston and to the cold case that has haunted his family for two decades. Shoving aside his pride, he calls Nic for help.

Together they search for answers, navigating the minefield of Cam’s past. But when they get too close to the truth, Cam must use every skill in his arsenal to save the man he loves…before it’s too late.

Reviewed by Jess

TITLE: Honeymoon for One

AUTHOR: Keira Andrews

PUBLISHER: Self-published

LENGTH: 286 pages

RELEASE DATE:  September 27, 2018

BLURB:

The wedding is off, but the love story is just beginning.

Betrayed the night before his wedding by the supposed boy of his dreams, Ethan Robinson escapes the devastating fallout by going on his honeymoon alone to the other side of the world. Hard of hearing and still struggling with the repercussions of being late-deafened, traveling by himself leaves him feeling painfully isolated with his raw, broken heart.

Clay Kelly never expected to be starting life over in his forties. He got hitched young, but now his wife has divorced him and remarried, his kids are grown, and he’s left his rural Outback town. In a new career driving a tour bus on Australia’s East Coast, Clay reckons he’s happy enough. He enjoys his cricket, a few beers, and a quiet life. If he’s a bit lonely, it’s not the end of the world.

Clay befriends Ethan, hoping he can cheer up the sad-eyed young man, and a crush on an unattainable straight guy is exactly the safe distraction Ethan needs. Yet as the days pass and their connection grows, long-repressed desires surface in Clay, and they are shocked to discover romance sparking. Clay is the sexy, rugged man of Ethan’s dreams, and as the clock counts down on their time together, neither wants this honeymoon to end.

Check out a new feature here at Love Bytes

introducing Retro Saturday!

Past books we love that should get a second look.

On Saturdays, we like to reflect on past books written at least a year ago. We’ll be posting books we love or new to us books we’ve just read and include the original review – either one we’ve written or from one of our fellow reviewers.

Reviewed by Donna

TITLE: Objects in the Rearview Mirror

SERIES: Memoirs of the Human Wraiths #2

AUTHOR: F.E. Feeley Jr

PUBLISHER: Beaten Track Publishing

LENGTH: 222 Pages

RELEASE DATE: June 15, 2018

BLURB:

Their new home on Frederick Street in Clay Center, Kansas, was supposed to give writer Jonathan David and his husband, clinical psychologist Dr. Eddie Dorman, an opportunity to enjoy married life. Jonathan has just released his first major bestseller, and he hopes to finally escape his traumatic past and find the quiet existence he has always craved. Eddie has taken a job at the Kansas State University psychology department, and they intend to begin anew.
They have barely settled in when the nightmare begins. Noises, disembodied voices, and mysterious apparitions make Jonathan’s life hell. Part of the house has decided to bare its teeth, show its jagged edges, and bring back the worst of Jonathan’s past. At first, Eddie cannot perceive the spectral events and fears for his husband’s sanity. When he’s also affected by the haunting, he’s unsure of what to do but refuses to be beaten.
Together, they seek a way to fight the forces trying to tear them apart. The world is a frightening place, but confronting their fears plunges Jonathan and Eddie into absolute horror.

Reviewed by Kat

TITLE: Us Again

AUTHOR: Nell Iris

PUBLISHER: JMS Books, LLC

LENGTH: 34 pages

RELEASE DATE: October 6, 2018

BLURB:

When Alex gets a call in the middle of the night telling him his ex-boyfriend is in the hospital, he only hesitates for a second before rushing to Sammy’s side. But the Sammy in the hospital bed is fragile and not the same man who told Alex to leave seven months ago.

Alex wants to help Sammy get better and is desperate to find out what went wrong between them. Maybe he’ll even get a second chance with the man he hasn’t been able to get over.

But will Sammy let Alex back into his life?

REVIEWED BY CINDY

TITLE: Long Black Cadillac

AUTHOR: BA Tortuga

PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press (2nd Edition)

LENGTH: 210 Pages

RELEASE DATE: October 12, 2018

BLURB:

When cop-turned-vampire-hunter Vance is sent to eliminate a bloodsucker from the Louisiana swamps, he figures it’s just another day at the office.

But he has no idea what he’s getting into.

Clay is no ordinary vampire, and the spark he lights in battle-scarred Vance is anything but average. Clay should be the enemy, but Vance is powerless to fight something that feels so right… and so damn good. In Clay’s expert hands, Vance might realize he’s misjudged vampires and that donating a little blood can be sexy as hell.

Clay might even ride to the rescue and save his new love when Vance’s mission goes south and Vance becomes the hunted instead of the hunter. Along with his human familiar, a crazy Cajun named Remy, and the enigmatic older vampire Gryphon, Clay must get to Vance before it’s too late. Then they can find the man who betrayed Vance and take their revenge.

But faced with lies and motives darker than they ever imagined, they’ll have to wade through blood and fight their way to a happily ever after….

Reviewed by Chris

TITLE:  Band Sinister

AUTHOR:  K.J. Charles

PUBLISHER:  KJC Books

LENGTH:  224 pages

RELEASE DATE:  October 11, 2018

BLURB:  

Sir Philip Rookwood is the disgrace of the county. He’s a rake and an atheist, and the rumours about his hellfire club, the Murder, can only be spoken in whispers. (Orgies. It’s orgies.)

Guy Frisby and his sister Amanda live in rural seclusion after a family scandal. But when Amanda breaks her leg in a riding accident, she’s forced to recuperate at Rookwood Hall, where Sir Philip is hosting the Murder.

Guy rushes to protect her, but the Murder aren’t what he expects. They’re educated, fascinating people, and the notorious Sir Philip turns out to be charming, kind—and dangerously attractive.

In this private space where anything goes, the longings Guy has stifled all his life are impossible to resist…and so is Philip. But all too soon the rural rumour mill threatens both Guy and Amanda. The innocent country gentleman has lost his heart to the bastard baronet—but does he dare lose his reputation too?

Reviewed by Jess

TITLE: A Treason of Truths

SERIES: Whispers Universe #2

AUTHOR: Ada Harper

PUBLISHER: Carina Press

LENGTH: 209 pages

RELEASE DATE:  October 1, 2018

BLURB:

She turned her back on her people and shifted her allegiance to the very Empire she was sent to betray

Now head spymaster, Lyre’s loyalty lies with Sabine, the Empress she has loved since childhood. But when Sabine visits the secretive Cloud Vault, the floating citadel home that Lyre betrayed, Lyre’s elaborate web of lies starts to untangle. Her very presence threatens Sabine’s future, and Lyre will do whatever it takes to protect her lover…even if that means sacrificing herself.

Empress Sabine Corvus has lived a life of service, pushing aside her own desires for the greater good. With the Empire teetering on the brink of war with the traitorous Syndicate, she cannot afford to show weakness. Although Lyre’s spymaster skills are her greatest weapon, their bond is Sabine’s Achilles’ heel. Regardless of the price, she will not give Lyre up.

Reviewed by Becca

TITLE: Out in the Deep

SERIES: Out in College #1

AUTHOR: Lane Hayes

PUBLISHER: self-published

LENGTH: 149 pages

RELEASE DATE:  August 26, 2018

BLURB:

Derek Vaughn is a little too serious. He’s a type A control personality with a penchant for order and a love of water polo. But he’s determined to enjoy his last year of college. The real world with a serious job and big expectations can wait for a few months. He’s going soak up every minute on campus with his friends and teammates before he moves on. The only possible kink in his plan is the new guy on the team… also known as his nemesis.
Gabe Chadwick has big Olympic dreams. His transfer between Southern California universities has nothing to do with scholastics. The degree is his backup plan. He’s not there to party or make friends. And he certainly isn’t going to announce his sexuality. But he can’t deny there’s something special about the uptight team captain. However, when an unwitting friendship and mutual attraction collide, both will have to decide if this is the real thing or if they’re about to lose it all in the deep.

Reviewed by Taylin

TITLE: From the Ashes

AUTHOR: C.M. Valencourt

PUBLISHER: Self -Published

LENGTH: 196 Pages

RELEASE DATE:  October 9, 2018

BLURB:

Hunter and Derek are at a fork in the road…

At their friend Justin’s funeral, once-best-friends Derek and Hunter meet again almost four years after their monumental falling out. Hunter kissed Derek, and Derek freaked out and chose a college on the other side of the country.

If they had a choice, both of them would walk away and never see the other again. Except Justin has given them a mission: an epic road trip to scatter his ashes all over the Midwest, complete with cryptic notes, new friends, and a whole lot of sexual tension. Can Derek and Hunter finish Justin’s road trip without ripping each other’s heads—or clothes—off?