Book of the Month Poll October 2018
IT IS THAT TIME AGAIN!
Welcome to our Book of the Month Poll for October 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…
Of Sunlight and Stardust by Riley Hart and Christina Lee
Reviewed by Kat
TITLE: Of Sunlight and Stardust
AUTHOR: Riley Hart and Christina Lee
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 269 pages
RELEASE DATE: September 18, 2018
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After the death of his wife, Tanner Rowe takes a step toward making her dying wish come true and buys the house with the dilapidated barn she’d been inexplicably drawn to in the picturesque Upper Peninsula. But after a year, he still can’t get past his grief long enough to make the repairs he’d promised.
Recently out of prison, Cole Lachlan has little to his name. Homeless, broke, and without many options as a felon, Cole heads to Red Bluff with hopes of a second chance. There he meets Tanner, whose loneliness mirrors his own, and soon Cole is trading room and board for rebuilding the burned-out barn on Tanner’s property that hasn’t been touched in seventy years.
Turns out, the barn holds more secrets than either of them could have imagined. After unearthing a hidden journal from 1948, Cole and Tanner spend their evenings poring over the pages, reading about a young man pining after his best friend. The deeper they delve into this forbidden affair from the past, the more Cole and Tanner’s own relationship shifts—from acquaintances to friends…to undeniable attraction.
But as they begin to deal with the newness of falling in love in the wake of Tanner’s loss and Cole’s past, they also become more determined to unravel the mystery of the young lovers who’ve captured their hearts, the rumors about the fire, and what really happened that fateful night.
James – Uncontrollable (Man Up #5) by Felice Stevens
Reviewed by Becca
TITLE: James – Uncontrollable
SERIES: Man Up #5
AUTHOR: Felice Stevens
PUBLISHER: self-published
RELEASE DATE: September 30, 2018
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It’s time to travel with James and Malcolm through their twenty year history as they battle each other and struggle to hold on to a lifetime of secrets.
James
Never good enough.
Not the real son.
I will prove him wrong—prove everyone wrong.
I am someone.
I will succeed.
I don’t need my brother to help me.
I don’t need anyone.
My enemy holds my secret.
He teases me.
Taunts me.
Follows me with his eyes.
Our hot, angry kisses keep me up at night.
I don’t want him.
I hate him.
But I can’t stop thinking about him.
That there’s more to him
I want to discover him.
The truth is unexpected.
My enemy might not only be my friend but the love I never thought to have.
Malcolm
Live, love, laugh.
Life is too short to worry when you don’t know how long you’ve got.
I want every day to be my best.
Like it’s my last.
My friends see what I let them.
Not the real me.
Only one man has ever crawled beneath my skin.
He drives me crazy.
Makes me wild.
Makes me care.
A night of bad decisions changes the course of my life.
Everything I’ve known no longer makes sense.
My enemy now stands by my side.
I’m no longer running.
I want to stay.
I want a future.
Hate has changed to something new and wonderful.
Something terrifying.
Uncontrollable.
Love.
Honeymoon for One by Keira Andrews
Reviewed by Jess
TITLE: Honeymoon for One
AUTHOR: Keira Andrews
PUBLISHER: Self-published
LENGTH: 286 pages
RELEASE DATE: September 27, 2018
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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.
Out in the Deep (Out in College #1) by Lane Hayes
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
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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.
Lincoln’s Park (LInks in the Chain #1) by Parker Williams
Reviewed by Becca
TITLE: Lincoln’s Park
SERIES: Links in the Chain #1
AUTHOR: Parker Williams
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 244 pages
RELEASE DATE: October 16, 2018
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Lincoln Merriweather was born an entitled brat with a silver spoon lodged so deep, it might never have come out. At the BDSM club or in business, Lincoln was a storm, blowing in and disrupting the lives of everyone he touched, until the day he met a man who peeled away the tarnished layers to expose a decent person.
Lincoln found—then lost—love.
Since then, he’s tried to atone for his past, including walking away from his family’s wealth. He opened a diner, hiring people to work for him that he would have spit on before his epiphany. He’s found peace, which he’s about to lose to a hazel-eyed man.
Noel Simmons wound up on the street when his parents discovered he was gay. His path leads him to Lincoln’s diner, where he asks for a job. He’s thrilled when Lincoln agrees to hire him, but finds his new boss perplexing. Can anyone be this kind and decent?
What starts out as business becomes something more. Noel discovers he needs Lincoln in order to feel safe. Lincoln needs Noel to complete him. But when Lincoln’s past gets in the way of his present, will the two have a future?
Not Just Friends by Jay Northcote
Reviewed by Taylin
TITLE: Not Just Friends
AUTHOR: Jay Northcote
PUBLISHER: Self-Published
LENGTH: 235 pages
RELEASE DATE: October 3, 2018
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Is it worth risking a friendship for a chance at love?
Leaving home to go to university is an exciting phase in anyone’s life. One that’s full of new places, new friends, and new experiences. But Lewis isn’t prepared for the sudden and intense crush he develops on his out-and-proud flatmate, Max, because Lewis had always assumed he was straight.
Max starts dating another guy, and Lewis’s jealousy at seeing them together forces him to confront his growing attraction. When Max’s relationship goes awry, Lewis is the one to comfort him and one thing leads to another. After a night together, Lewis is devastated that Max wants to go back to being just friends.
Lewis tries his best to move on and their friendship survives, but the feelings he has for Max don’t go away. He faces other challenges as he deals with coming out to his parents, and needs Max’s support more than ever. But Lewis isn’t the only one who’s conflicted. When Max finally admits he cares for Lewis too, Lewis must decide whether he dares risk his heart again on being more than just friends.
Pisces Hooks Taurus (Signs of Love #4) by Anyta Sunday
Reviewed by Becca
TITLE: Pisces Hooks Taurus
SERIES: Signs of Love #4
AUTHOR: Anyta Sunday
PUBLISHER: self-published
LENGTH: 280 pages
RELEASE DATE: October 16, 2018
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It’s a time for searching, and a time for finding, Pisces: keep casting your line and you will hook what you’re looking for.
Zane has it all planned out: land the perfect Meet Cute, fall in love, and live happily ever after.
Should be simple enough if he put his mind to it. A little creativity and some thinking outside of the box, and voila, he’d be married to the woman of his dreams.
It would be perfect.
And it would be before his visa ran out.
But why are his feelings running wild now that the pressure’s on? Why is his picture-perfect plan turning into a muddled mess of morphed metaphors he can’t make sense of anymore?
Just as well he’s met an English professor to help. And even though their first meet is anything but cute, this down-to-earth teacher may just be the realist Zane needs to ground him and give him a shot at love after all.
Don’t cast your line too wide, Pisces. Your perfect catch may already have bitten.
~ – ~ – ~
Pisces Hooks Taurus (Signs of Love #4) is an MM opposites-attract romantic comedy featuring an unapologetic romantic and a broken realist.
More wit, banter and bad puns – and even more heart-stopping slow burn!
Can be read as a standalone.
The Bones Beneath My Skin by TJ Klune
Reviewed by Jay V.
TITLE: The Bones Beneath My Skin
AUTHOR: TJ Klune
PUBLISHER: TJ Klune
LENGTH: 375 Pages
RELEASE DATE: October 26, 2018
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In the spring of 1995, Nate Cartwright has lost everything: his parents are dead, his older brother wants nothing to do with him, and he’s been fired from his job as a journalist in Washington DC. With nothing left to lose, he returns to his family’s summer cabin outside the small mountain town of Roseland, Oregon to try and find some sense of direction. The cabin should be empty. It’s not.
Inside is a man named Alex. And with him is an extraordinary little girl who calls herself Artemis Darth Vader.
Artemis, who isn’t exactly as she appears.
Soon it becomes clear that Nate must make a choice: let himself drown in the memories of his past, or fight for a future he never thought possible. Because the girl is special. And forces are descending upon them who want nothing more than to control her.
My Kind of Man by AG Silver
Reviewed by Kat
TITLE: My Kind of Man
AUTHOR: AG Silver
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 228 pages
RELEASE DATE: October 23, 2018
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An M/M age-play romance.
Michael knows what he wants. He wants a daddy.
When yet another attempt at a relationship fails, Michael decides to find himself his daddy. The one man that will care for him, nurture him, and love him for who he is. Twenty-six-year-old and successful in his career, Michael knows he’s missing out on life. He’s a quiet, introverted man with desires that seem too far out of his reach. Until he goes to Escape one night.
Callum is tired of being lonely. He has everything to offer the right man.
When forty-year-old Callum is encouraged to visit Escape, his hopes are high, but his expectancy of finding the perfect man is low until he sees a young man nervously looking around the club. Everything about him ticks Callum’s boxes. Shorter than his six-foot frame with blond curls that cry out to be stroked, and a look of anxious longing on his face. Callum is transfixed.
With only a few words exchanged, the two men are hooked, eager to explore everything they have ever dreamed of. Is this a life they can fulfill, or will they find too many obstacles in their way?
My Kind of Man is an age-play story and contains M/M sexual content, spankings, age play, ABDL.
Kindred Spirits (The Castaway Series) by Alexa Land
Reviewed by Dan
TITLE: Kindred Spirits
SERIES: The Castaway Series
AUTHOR: Alexa Land
PUBLISHER: Self-Published
LENGTH: 282 pages
RELEASE DATE: October 12, 2018
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Elijah Everett knows he should feel good about the progress he’s made over the last four years, ever since he ran away from a terrible situation at age sixteen. With the support of his loving, adopted family, he recently graduated from college and has a good job and an exciting new life waiting for him on Catalina Island. But his past has left him with little confidence and a list of fears a mile long, and Elijah wonders if he’ll ever fully heal.
Cassidy Juric doesn’t talk about his past. He doesn’t talk about much at all, actually. And yet, Elijah thinks he recognizes a kindred spirit in the gorgeous young ranch hand. The two are undeniably drawn to each other, and a tentative relationship starts to develop. But when the devastating truth about Cassidy’s past is revealed, Elijah wonders if asking Cassidy to trust himRead More » might be asking the impossible.
Can two broken men learn to open their hearts and take a chance on love? Or will the ghosts of their past prevent them from building a future together?
Beautiful Chaos by Riley Hart & Devon McCormack
Reviewed by Kat
TITLE: Beautiful Chaos
AUTHOR: Riley Hart & Devon McCormack
PUBLISHER: Treycore Publishing
LENGTH: 257 pages
RELEASE DATE: October 14, 2018
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SILAS
My home is my sanctuary. Or is it my prison? Some days it’s hard to tell.
I’ve confined myself behind these walls for protection. I have my reasons, but that doesn’t change the profound loneliness I’ve discovered in the process.
Then one day I find myself drifting toward the window to see him. Corey Marshall, my new neighbor. Quiet, reserved, and cute as can be. He infects my thoughts, becomes the image I fantasize about.
I want to taste his lips, smell his scent…feel what it’s like to be inside him.
And soon, watching becomes exchanging gifts and messages, which becomes so much more.
It’s wrong to want this as badly as I do, but I can’t help myself. I crave him so desperately. It’s hard to tell if what we’re doing is going to make me lose my mind or change my entire world, but it’s too late to turn back now…
COREY
I’ve never been quite right. Too high or too low. Pain is my constant companion…at the hands of my abusive ex, and often from myself. The sweet relief is only temporary, but in those moments, it’s like I can finally breathe.
Then I meet him. Silas Rizner calms the chaotic storms inside me. He makes me feel loved, treasured, even when I don’t deserve it. I cherish the moments we share–cooking, cuddling, and when Silas reads to me until I fall asleep. When he’s inside me, it’s the only time in my life I’ve ever felt complete.
Silas becomes the glue that holds me together, that bandages my scars. Inside the walls of his home, we’re almost safe, but our demons are always there, waiting to break free.
We’re a mess. We’re broken, chaotic, beautiful; we’re in love.
But not even love can slay our monsters. No, only we can do that.
Unless our monsters destroy us first.
TRIGGERS: Self-harm, depression, anxiety, mentions of past domestic violence.