Reviewed by Becca

TITLE: Kissing the Teacher

SERIES: Valentine’s Inc #3

AUTHOR: Nora Phoenix

PUBLISHER: self-published

LENGTH: 252 pages

RELEASE DATE: January 20, 2019

BLURB:

Hagen didn’t want to be Baxter’s Dom. He wanted to be his Daddy.
College professor Hagen St. Croix is done with his life as a Dom since his two previous boys left him. When his former club organizes an event, he wants to go…but not alone. He finds a date-for-hire through the Valentine’s Inc. app, but he’s shocked when his date turns out to be his sexy student Baxter Lafelle, and even more shocked by the feelings Baxter evokes in him.
When tragedy strikes for Baxter, Hagen realizes that he doesn’t want to be his Dom. He wants to be his Daddy… But will Baxter let him? And what happens when their contract is up?

Kissing the Teacher is a full-sized (73k words), sexy and sweet MM romance with daddy kink, a May/December relationship, and a very happily ever after. It’s part of the Valentine’s Inc. series but can be read as a stand alone, since these books are only connected through a shared premise.

Reviewed by Becca

TITLE: Late Fees

SERIES: Pinx Video Mystery #3

AUTHOR: Marshall Thornton

PUBLISHER: Kenmore Books

LENGTH: 222 pages

RELEASE DATE: November 10, 2018

BLURB:

It’s Thanksgiving, 1992 and Noah Valentine is late picking his mother up from the airport. When he arrives he discovers that she’s made a friend on the flight whose also waiting for her son. When women’s son doesn’t show up, they eventually take the woman home for breakfast with neighbor’s Marc and Louis. Soon after, they learn that the woman’s son has overdosed—or has he? Noah and his motley crew investigate over the holiday weekend; which includes a fabulous dinner, a chat with a male stripper, a tiny little burglary and some help from Detective Tall, Dark, and Delicious.

Reviewed by Dan

TITLE: Next to Nothing

SERIES: The Chosen One – Book 3

AUTHOR: Macy Blake

PUBLISHER: Self-Published

LENGTH: 186 Pages

RELEASE DATE:  January 29, 2019

BLURB:

What do you get when you mix a dragon, a vampire, a griffin, a mage, and a human? Sawyer Smith’s life sounds like a punchline, but the mates he’s come to love are no joke. They’re fierce and wonderful, protecting him from the outside forces trying to destroy him. Add in a reluctant hippocamp and an egotistical fae prince, and Sawyer has his hands full in more ways than one.

Sawyer is closer than ever to fulfilling the ancient prophecy of the Chosen One, but the bonds between him and his newest guardians are giving him doubts. The rules are changing, and Sawyer has to adapt quickly if he’s going to keep up, especially after he’s whisked away to the land of the fae, a place with cryptic customs. One misstep could very well lead to his death.

Navigating the waters of his newest relationship is tricky enough without the encroaching dangers. Something terrifying is heading Sawyer’s way, threatening not only his life, but everything he’s built with the mates he loves. Despite their concerns, Sawyer is ready to make sacrifices, because there’s next to nothing he wouldn’t do to keep them safe.

Reviewed by Becca

TITLE: How Not to Blend

SERIES: LOVESTRONG #1

AUTHOR: Susan Hawke

PUBLISHER: self-published

LENGTH: 276 pages

RELEASE DATE: January 15, 2019

BLURB:

One clueless single dad…
Dr. Corbin Davis is a busy guy just trying to do his best as a single parent. He may be oblivious to a lot of things, but surely he would’ve noticed something as important as his fifteen-year-old son, Grayson, being bullied, right? And what the heck is non-binary, and why hasn’t Gray shared this all-important part of himself with his own dad?

Plus one sassy Southerner…
Andy Ferguson, or Kandi as the Thursday night drag community knows him, is just trying to get along in a small town and hold things together while he takes care of his beloved Gam-Gam. If she’d just get off his back about finding himself a man, that would be fantastic, thank you very much. He’ll get around to love… one of these days.

Equals a pair of fake-boyfriends who will keep you in stitches.
When Corb gets the wild idea to ask Andy to pose as his boyfriend to let Gray know that his dad is bisexual and open-minded enough to talk to about his nonbinary status, Andy is amused and just intrigued enough to say yes… especially since he seems to be in the market for a fake boyfriend himself, if it will get Gam-Gam to quit nagging.

Reviewed by Chris

TITLE:  Any Old Diamonds

SERIES:  Lilywhite Boys #1

AUTHOR:  K.J. Charles

PUBLISHER:  KJC Books

LENGTH:  229 pages

RELEASE DATE:  January 30, 2019

BLURB:  

Lord Alexander Pyne-ffoulkes, the younger son of the Duke of Ilvar, holds a bitter grudge against his wealthy father. The Duke intends to give his Duchess a priceless diamond parure on their wedding anniversary—so Alec hires a pair of jewel thieves to steal it.

The Duke’s remote castle is a difficult target, and Alec needs a way to get the thieves in. Soldier-turned-criminal Jerry Crozier has the answer: he’ll pose as a Society gentleman and become Alec’s new best friend.

But Jerry is a dangerous man: controlling, remote, and devastating. He effortlessly teases out the lonely young nobleman’s most secret desires, and soon he’s got Alec in his bed—and the palm of his hand.

Or maybe not. Because as the plot thickens, betrayals, secrets, new loves, and old evils come to light. Now the jewel thief and the aristocrat must keep up the pretence, find their way through a maze of privilege and deceit, and confront the truth of what’s between them…all without getting caught.

Reviewed by Becca

TITLE: Awakenings and French Songs

AUTHOR: Nell Iris

PUBLISHER: JMS Books LLC

LENGTH: 484 KB

RELEASE DATE: January 12, 2019

BLURB:

Iggy Wilker never expected his 36th birthday to turn into an existential crisis. When Iggy’s friends celebrate him with his usual favorite pastime — drinking, dancing, and willing guys — he suddenly wants nothing to do with any of it. He’s fed up and ready for something else. The question is what?
Ronan Clenney has had his eye on his neighbor forever, but as a single father of a precocious eleven-year-old, he’s never believed he stands a chance. But over a late night cup of tea, it seems circumstances have changed. Is this the right time, finally?
Iggy has never believed in romance, but can Ronan show him he’s wrong? That love is a real thing?

Reviewed by Taylin

TITLE: Rat Park

AUTHOR: Marina Vivancos

PUBLISHER: Self Published

LENGTH: 377 pages

RELEASE DATE: January 28, 2019

BLURB:

Dominic has lived with an empty ache inside him for as long as he could remember. Maybe it started when he was six, hiding beneath his blankets as the wild animal noises of one of mom’s parties echoed in his head. Maybe it began the first time an adult plied him with drinks just to watch him stumble about.Or, maybe, it was that he couldn’t even imagine what being loved should feel like. Drugs washed all that away. It didn’t cure the ache, but it made him forget it for a while. Anything was better than being conscious. Than being himself. But life had another hard lesson for him: With drugs, the only way is down.

Dominic hits rock bottom when he’s twenty-three. Turns out, rock bottom looks a lot like the bars of a jail cell. With little left but his own thoughts, Dominic has to decide: Is this what I want for the rest of my life?  The world has never been kind to Dominic, but when he meets the Romeros, he wonders if that is about to change. Officer Catalina Romero seems to see something in Dominic that he is sure isn’t there. The more she pulls him towards her family, however, the harder it is not to go. All his resistance disappears under the force that is Flor Romero. Spitfire, stubborn Flor—even at sixteen, he refuses to be taken lightly. As he grows older, putting a stop to what Flor obviously wants to happen between them is harder than Dominic would ever want to admit. Dominic knows that he has too many demons to let anybody get too close. But life doesn’t prepare him for Flor, who just might be ready to fight tooth and nail for a place in Dominic’s life—and his heart.

The question is, will Dominic’s past keep him from his future?

Reviewed by Becca

TITLE: Savor Me

SERIES: Kitchen God’s #3

AUTHOR: Beth Bolden

PUBLISHER: self-published

LENGTH: 342 pages

RELEASE DATE: September 29, 2018

BLURB:

When Chef Xander Bridges leaves the warmth and safety of his car on a cold, stormy night and approaches a stranger, the last thing he expects to find is a future. He’s wanted to leave his job for awhile, but with no good opportunities on the horizon, he’s been stuck in a long, painful rut. But when he befriends the stranger viciously tearing up his own vineyard, Xander discovers something inexplicable. Maybe he’s not the bitter, sarcastic man that everyone, including himself, has endured for years.
Maybe, with someone like Damon in his life, he could be something more. Something better.
Damon Hess doesn’t just want more, he demands it. With his alcoholic past, there are no gray areas for him. Only black and white. In love or not. Sober or drunk. But the chance meeting with Xander opens Damon’s eyes, and gives him a vision full of something he hasn’t experienced in years: hope.
Hope that he can expect companionship and affection, hope that he doesn’t have to grapple with his family’s questionable Napa legacy any longer, and most importantly, hope that there’s a future worth believing in. But the longer he and Xander spend cultivating that future, the more Damon realizes that the key is so much simpler than he ever imagined–it’s Xander.

Reviewed by Becca

TITLE: Crashed

SERIES: Akar Chronicles mpreg #2

AUTHOR: Kiki Burrelli

PUBLISHER: self-published

LENGTH: 193 pages

RELEASE DATE: November 21, 2018

BLURB:

Forced together, they are castaways on an unknown planet.
The last thing Tannish knew, he was in a nightclub, dancing the night away and pretending his life was fine. But, the moment Tannish feels the warmth of Enzo’s arms, he finally feels like he’s home.
An unbreakable bond that comes with a powerful new ability
Until now, Enzo’s first passion has always been medicine. As a doctor he helps, he fixes, he remains impartial. But not when it comes to Tannish. With Tannish, Enzo wants it all. He wants to own Tannish, claim him, possess him. Before he does any of that, he must protect him.
Taken hostage by an unfriendly alien force, Enzo and Tannish can only rely on each other for protection. They have a bond; a connection that neither can explain fully. When their bond grows, a life is created, one neither thought possible. Enzo will do anything to protect his new, budding family, but unfortunately for him, so will Tannish. With both willing to risk it all, can they find their happily-ever-after?

CRASHED is the second book in the Akar Chronicles. It can be read as a standalone but would be better enjoyed in order.

Reviewed by Taylin

TITLE: Acts of Service

AUTHOR: Jessie Pinkham

PUBLISHER: JMS Books LLC

LENGTH: 82 pages

RELEASE DATE: January 26, 2019

BLURB:

Tom can’t catch a break when it comes to his love life. He’s not good with romance, as his exes told him in uncharitable terms, and he’s starting to wonder if there’s something wrong with him. So when he finds himself attracted to his temporary roommate, he’s afraid of being called inadequate all over again.

Alex has serious anxiety which make his life a challenge and his dating prospects slim to nonexistent. He assumes Tom isn’t interested in him because men never are. It’s a pleasant surprise to start a friends with benefits relationship, so Alex goes out on a limb in an attempt to impress Tom. When it backfires spectacularly, he thinks all hope is lost.

Both men are held back by past rejections. Will a minor crisis bring them together … or tear them apart?