Book of the Week Poll
Welcome to the Love Bytes Book of the Week Poll!
Here are the books which achieved a 4.5 or 5.0 review last week from our reviewers.
As a reminder, the top two books from each week’s poll will roll into our Book of the Month poll at month’s end. Happy Voting!
Please scroll to the very bottom for the voting section.
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…
Breakaway (Off the Pitch #1) by Charlie Novak
REVIEWED by Anna Lynn
TITLE: Breakaway
AUTHOR: Charlie Novak
SERIES: Off the Pitch #1
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 244 pages
RELEASE DATE: July 23, 2019
BLURB:
When your life revolves around a single goal, is there room for love?
Christian King is a rising star in English football. He’s talented, devoted, and on the road to glory. He’s following the path that’s been laid out for him since he was four, and he has no plans to deviate from it. Christian’s life revolves around a single goal—to be the best… until he runs into his first love and former best friend, David.
David Cade is just trying to survive the final year of his PhD intact, while battling long hours, unmotivated students, and the idea that academia might not be for him. But a chance encounter with his first love’s twin sister changes everything, and suddenly David is faced with the realization that he can’t leave the past behind.
When David and Christian are drawn back together, sparks fly. Soon, Christian is forced to confront his deepest insecurities. Can they break away from their fears for a second chance at true love?
Art of Death (Lychgate #1) by Bob Appavu
Reviewed by Becca
TITLE: Art of Death
SERIES: Lychgate #1
AUTHOR: Bob Appavu
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Publications
LENGTH: 271 pages
RELEASE DATE: September 3, 2019
BLURB:
Starving artist Riley Burke refuses to be dependent on his rich older boyfriend—hence his second job as a nude model at the local art school. When the famous artist Coliaro requests him for a private modeling session, he jumps at the chance to earn some real cash.
But then Westwood, a mysterious stranger, warns him to steer clear—it’s said Coliaro is undead. That his worshippers perform rituals to fill him with life energy. That every time he paints a male nude, the painting transforms to depict a gruesome murder. And that shortly after, a young man turns up dead.
Riley dismisses the rumors—until they start to play out before his eyes. When he becomes a target, Westwood comes to his aid. But Westwood is secretive and dangerous himself… which just makes him more attractive to Riley. Riley is in over his head, and even his tenuous alliance with Westwood might not save him.
Romancing the Rough Diamond (Romancing the… #4) by Clare London
REVIEWED by Anna Lynn
TITLE: Romancing the Rough Diamond
AUTHOR: Clare London
SERIES: Romancing the… #4
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 256 pages
RELEASE DATE: September 17, 2019
BLURB:
Trust is the most precious jewel of all.
When Mayfair jewelers Starsmith Stones wins the commission for a gay royal wedding, CEO Joel Sterling is recommended to the brilliant young designer Matt Barth—only to discover Matt’s the man with whom he shared an anonymous and passionate kiss on the celebration night.
Disenchanted with the commercial jewelry industry, Matt nowadays prefers muddy archaeological digs to designing. Openly resentful of Starsmith’s hostile takeover of his family’s firm, he is horrified at the realization he’ll be working with the man who engineered that deal—but the opportunity to create something fabulous and unique for the royal couple is too tempting to refuse.
Working as a team reignites the spark between Joel and Matt. But when betrayal from within Starsmith threatens both the project and Joel’s confidence, will they have built enough trust to keep their newfound love as precious as the royal jewels?
The Pet Stylist and the Playboy (The Hedonist #2) by Rebecca James
REVIEWED by Anna Lynn
TITLE: The Pet Stylist and the Playboy
AUTHOR: Rebecca James
SERIES: The Hedonist #2
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 199 pages
RELEASE DATE: July 7, 2018
BLURB:
Swish has been in love with Dante since the day the tough biker found him homeless and miserable in a gas station restroom, but Dante’s never shown the younger man anything more than brotherly affection. Deciding it’s time to move out of the MC’s clubhouse and away from Dante, Swish takes a live-in job working in a privately-owned animal shelter where he can continue his pet stylist business. What he doesn’t realize is he’s not going to be as far away from the object of his affection as he thinks.
Dante’s time of being a playboy biker is fast coming to a close. At summer’s end he turns 30, and that means fulfilling his promise to his parents and returning to high society in the Hamptons. That dim prospect should be all Dante can think about, only Swish is moving out, and suddenly Dante can’t do anything but obsess over the kid he’s always thought of as a younger brother. Telling himself he’s only making sure Swish is doing okay on his own, Dante takes a summer job landscaping at the animal shelter where Swish has taken a job. There he learns a few things about the young man he’s never bothered to find out before, including that Swish’s real name is Isaac, and he enjoys wearing a certain something under his jeans–something that Dante’s surprised to find he would really like to remove–preferably with his teeth.
When Dante gives in to his need for Isaac, the playboy biker quickly finds that disentangling himself from the man he once thought of as a kid brother proves harder than expected, and that perhaps after years of one-night-stands and partying, his priorities need to change. Only not in the way his wealthy and controlling parents want them to.
Tallowwood by N.R. Walker
Reviewed by Annika
TITLE: Tallowwood
AUTHOR: N.R. Walker
PUBLISHER: Blue Heart Press
RELEASE DATE: September 25, 2019
LENGTH: 375 pages
BLURB:
Cold cases, murder, lies, and an unimaginable truth.
Sydney detective August Shaw has spent the last decade of work solving cold cases. Since the death of his boyfriend eight years ago, August works alone, lives alone, is alone — and that’s exactly how he likes it. His work is his entire life, and he’s convinced a string of unsolved cold-case suicides are linked to what could be Australia’s worst ever serial killer. Problem is, no one believes him.
Senior Constable Jacob Porter loves his life in the small town of Tallowwood in the middle of the rainforests in northern New South Wales. He runs summer camps for the local Indigenous kids, plays rugby with his mates, has a close family, and he’s the local LGBTQIA+ Liaison and the Indigenous Liaison Officer.
When human remains are found in the camping grounds at Tallowwood Reserve, Jake’s new case turns out to be linked to August’s cold cases, and Jake agrees they’re not suicides at all. With Jacob now firmly in August’s corner, they face one hurdle after another, even when more remains are found, they still can’t seem to gain ground.
But when the body of a fellow police officer turns up under the same MO, it can’t be ignored anymore. August and Jake must trace the untraceable before the killer takes his next victim or before he stops one of them, permanently.
Scary (Twirled Ink World #3) by J.M. Dabney
Reviewed by Becca
TITLE: Scary
SERIES: Twirled World Ink #3 2nd edition
AUTHOR: J.M. Dabney
PUBLISHER: Hostile Whispers Press
LENGTH: 248 pages
RELEASE DATE: September 15, 2017
BLURB:
Welcome to Twirled World Ink where the crazies run the asylum.
Gene Sheridan earned the appropriate nickname when Legend Gib Phelps employed him at Twirled World Ink—Scary. No one made it out of his old neighborhood without scars both mental and physical. At one time, Scary thought he had a chance that is until his ex-boyfriend discovered slumming with someone like him wasn’t worth his trust fund. No-strings hookups became his go-to when he needed to relieve some tension. Co-owning a bar called Brawlers with his best friend, Tank, made it easy to find a body to use for the night. If not happy he was content with his life, but one man made content seem like such a terrible thing.
Elijah Vaughn worried about everything. His life was put on hold at eighteen when his mostly-absent parents died on one of their many adventures leaving him to raise his six-year-old brother, Brody. He’d never had anything or anyone that was just his. When Brody met a tattoo artist named Trouble, Elijah hadn’t realized how much it would change his life too. He met a huge man named Scary and how the man made him feel terrified him.
Tank Davis lost his voice the night he was attacked and had this throat slit ear-to-ear. It kept him in a world of silence. Silent and intimidating, he scared off more men than he drew to him. His best friend Scary and him made a life for themselves in small town Georgia with their bar Brawlers. Most night everyone could find him working security at the door. Scary called in a favor, and Tank met the one man he couldn’t resist, proper and upstanding Elijah Vaughn.
Can one man accept that there’s not one perfect man for him, but two damaged souls who need him to be whole?
Author’s Note: Although this is part of a series each book is stand alone and every book deals with a separate couple.
The Mystery of the Bones (Snow & Winter #4) by C.S. Poe
Reviewed by Sadonna
TITLE: The Mystery of the Bones
SERIES: Snow & Winter, #4
AUTHOR: C.S. Poe
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 200 pages
RELEASE DATE: September 24, 2019
BLURB:
It’s been a full year since the mystery that brought antique shop owner and part-time amateur sleuth Sebastian Snow together with NYPD homicide detective Calvin Winter. Patience, sanity, and their very lives have been put to the test, but love has persevered. Although Sebastian is now New York City’s best-known busybody, he’s done solving crimes and wants nothing more than to plan a romantic budget wedding.
Then Snow’s Antique Emporium receives a decapitated human head in the mail and the holidays are gory once again. Sebastian patently disregards the mystery of a lifetime because he is done with death and danger—but the killer escalates. Before Sebastian knows it, his closest friends and family are dragged into a series of horrific murders with antiquated clues hinting to the infamous Victorian American Bones Wars.
The clock is ticking to recover a long-lost artifact linked to paleontologist Edward Drinker Cope and to capture a murderer. But it’s not Sebastian who may become the next target—it’s Calvin.
Resonance: A Rhythm of Love Story #2 by Neve Wilder
Review by Cindy
TITLE: Resonance
SERIES: Rhythm of Love #2
AUTHOR: Neve Wilder
PUBLISHER: Self-Published
LENGTH: 345 Pages
RELEASE DATE: August 21, 2019
BLURB:
I gave the rumor mill fodder for a lifetime the day I walked away from a lucrative music career without explanation.
People can talk all they like; my record stores are my lifeblood now, and I’m devoted solely to keeping them afloat in the digital age. There’s just one little thing distracting me: an earth-dwelling sunbeam named Owen Harper. I don’t know what I was thinking when I hired him. In fact, maybe I wasn’t thinking at all.
Quirky and excitable, he’s a walking, talking danger to fragile objects. His energy alone could power a small country. That’s never been my style. Hell, I was probably cutting my first album while he was cutting teeth. He wants a music career, and I’m done with all that. We couldn’t be on more opposite paths.
He’s other things, too, though. Things that keep me up late at night. Things that make me forget I’m supposed to be simplifying.
And damn does he love to push my buttons.
Now I’m struggling to resist his pull, drowning in the memory of his skin under my hands, his mouth on mine. His laugh.
When a long shadow from my past comes calling with an offer I’d be stupid to refuse, there’s more on the line than the survival of the shops I’ve dedicated the last fifteen years of my life to.
Because those fragile objects I mentioned earlier? One of them might well be my heart.
Resonance is the second book in the Rhythm of Love series but can be read on its own. It’s a steamy slow burn bisexual age-gap, boss/employee romance with lots of banter and two obstinate heroes who really, really don’t want to want the very thing they both need.
False Flag (The Phisher King #2) by Clancy Nacht & Thursday Euclid
Reviewed by Becca
TITLE: False Flag
SERIES: The Phisher King #2
AUTHOR: Clancy Nacht & Thursday Euclid
PUBLISHER: Eine Kleine Press
LENGTH: 268 pages
RELEASE DATE: November 6, 2018
BLURB:
Sequel to Rainbow Award-winning m/m romantic thriller “The Phisher King.”
FBI Agent Callum Riggs and hacker Hunter Walsh have settled into a quiet, contented life together with their Pomeranian, Bruiser. Under a hostile new administration, Cal’s changing duties at the Bureau frustrate his career and personal ambitions. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Cal, Hunter pursues vengeance against his would-be rapist Chad, following him into the heart of Seattle’s blossoming Alt-Right scene.
Will Cal’s handsome former partner Justin Barnes and Hunter’s mounting pile of secrets drive a wedge between them? With Barnes trying to woo Cal away from his current life, Hunter in too deep with a band of White Nationalists, and the authorities focused on all the wrong suspects, will Cal and Hunter find a way to save Seattle before tensions explode?
This sexy 60k romantic thriller contains: an undercover Pomeranian, a buff FBI agent who likes being called daddy, and a pink-haired hacker who has serious issues with authority
Betrayal: Purity and Control 3 (God Jars Saga #6) by Devon Vesper
Reviewed by Becca
TITLE: Betrayal: Purity and Control 3
SERIES: God Jars Saga #6
AUTHOR: Devon Vesper
PUBLISHER: Magelight Press
LENGTH: 302 pages
RELEASE DATE: October 2, 2018
BLURB:
Betrayal is the most painful blow to bear, especially from the one you love most.
The time has come. Valis is ready to finally join the Aesriphos ranks in an official capacity. The only thing standing in his way is his joining night with Tavros. But with nineteen days left before their marriage, Valis and Tavros are fighting to retain their sanity. Strange things keep happening, intent on tearing them apart. And no matter what Valis does to find the source of their anguish, he’s blocked at every turn.
Incessant nightmares, visions, and heated arguments strain their relationship to the breaking point, and harrowing events escalate in number and severity. Valis is forced to watch helplessly as the evil shifts to focus its malice on Tavros. And with every mind-bending incident, Tavros creeps closer and closer to the ultimate betrayal.
Valis and Tavros must marry to join the Aesriphos Order if Valis has any chance at rescuing the lost god jar. But if he can’t find the source of the insanity, he may lose Tavros forever.
The M/M romantic elements in God Jars is a very slow burn. The God Jars Saga contains explicit material including violence, abuse, and M/M sexual encounters, and is not advised for anyone under the age of 18.
Trouble (Twirled World Ink #2) by J.M. Dabney
Reviewed by Becca
TITLE: Trouble
SERIES: Twirled World Ink #2
AUTHOR: J.M. Dabney
PUBLISHER: Hostile Whispers Press LLC
LENGTH: 188 pages
RELEASE DATE: September 15, 2017 2nd edition
BLURB:
Welcome to Twirled World Ink where the crazies run the asylum.
Model perfect Jimmy “Trouble” Carver had never heard the word no. Tattooed, sexy and the quintessential bad boy Trouble had men falling over themselves to get to him. What people didn’t know about him was he was self-conscious even if life was easy for him. He’d started out as an apprentice at Twirled World Ink after college and never looked back. Trouble was exactly where he wanted to be, although there was one speed bump, his crush refused to go out on a date.
Brody Vaughn worked in a dead-end job, barely making it from paycheck to paycheck. He didn’t have much time for anyone other than his five-year-old daughter Mina and besides he’d never quite found a place in this world he fit. Chunky and average, that’s how he felt, except for when Trouble came into the grocery store where he worked. The flirty, gorgeous man asked him out every week with a sexy smile, but Brody had to refuse. It wasn’t as if he wanted to say no, it was just how could he date a man Brody knew he had no business trying to keep.
The Crazies of Twirled World Ink excel at one thing, matchmaking, and they are determined their resident bad boy would get his man. They just had to make sure that neither Trouble or Brody screwed up their plan.
Author’s Note: Although this is part of a series each book is a stand alone and every book deals with a separate couple.
2ND EDITION **REEDITED**
Bliss (Cedar Falls #25) by Shea Balik
Reviewed by Becca
TITLE: Bliss
SERIES: Cedar Falls #25
AUTHOR: Shea Balik
PUBLISHER: Siren-Bookstrand Inc
LENGTH: 85 pages
RELEASE DATE: March 7, 2019
BLURB:
Crow Huntley had been shot and ended up in a coma. When he woke up, he discovered his life was over. Not only would he never be able to do the job he loved, but he might actually never walk again. Tarq Havish had spent months wooing Crow. Just when he’d finally gotten his man, Crow had been shot and pushed Tarq away once more. If Crow thought that would stop Tarq from doing whatever it takes to get their happily ever after, he had better think again. Tarq had no problem playing dirty, even if it meant calling in help from some unlikely friends. Warning: Let the hijinks begin. Expect anything and everything from Bigfoot to cheers that will force Crow to get back on his feet and into Tarq’s bed.
The Little Things by Jay Northcote
Reviewed by Becca
TITLE: The Little Things
AUTHOR: Jay Northcote
PUBLISHER: Jaybird Press
LENGTH: 214 pages
RELEASE DATE: May 14, 2018
BLURB:
Sometimes it’s the little things in life that make you appreciate what you have.
There are lots of things that brighten Joel’s life. His three-year-old daughter Evie is one. His close relationship with her mother, his best friend from university, is another. Joel’s boyfriend, Dan, adds spice to his child-free nights, and Joel is pretty happy with how things are.
Then one cold and rainy night, everything changes. Joel’s life is turned upside down when he becomes a full-time dad to Evie, and his previously carefree relationship with Dan cracks under the strain.
Meeting Liam, who acts as if getting hurt isn’t a foregone conclusion, shakes Joel to the core. Their attraction is mutual, and Liam makes no secret of how serious he is about Joel. But Joel is wary. He tells himself he’s keeping Liam at a distance for Evie’s sake, when really he’s protecting his own heart. Taking a chance on this new relationship with Liam may seem a small step—a little thing—but is it one Joel can take after losing so much already?
Please note that although this edition has been re-edited for publication, there is no new or additional content.
Mind Over Matter (Druid’s Curse #6) by Shea Balik
Reviewed by Becca
![Mind Over Matter (Druid's Curse Book 6) by [Balik, Shea]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51ijh0xAeEL.jpg)
TITLE: Mind Over Matter
SERIES: Druid’s Curse #6
AUTHOR: Shea Balik
PUBLISHER: self-published
LENGTH: 197 pages
RELEASE DATE: October 27, 2019
BLURB:
Who would have thought there was something more horrifying than an indoor boy being forced to live in the Amazon? Yet, there was. In fact, the more descriptive word would be mind-numbingly terrifying. That it was brought into his life by a drop dead gorgeous man claiming he was there to protect Wylie, only made everything that much more surreal.
Since the first druid came into their lives, Fritjof prayed he would never meet the druid that was destined to be his fated love. He knew that emotion would always lead to devastation and heartache. He’d seen it, experienced it, when his mother disowned him for not being able to save his father.
But what happens when the Fae goes after someone they both love? Will they be able to find a way to trust in each other? Are some things impossible to overcome or is it Mind Over Matter?
PLEASE NOTE: Although each book in this series focuses on a different couple, to best enjoy the overall story arc, these books SHOULD be read in order.
Trust the Connection by Brigham Vaughn
Reviewed by Becca
TITLE: Trust the Connection
AUTHOR: Brigham Vaughn
PUBLISHER: Two Peninsulas Press
LENGTH: 597 pages
RELEASE DATE: November 20, 2018
BLURB:
NOTE: This story was previously published as a two-volume serial under the titles of “Connection” and “Trust”. Minor updates have been made but the story is essentially unchanged. This is a re-release.
—
Scars run deep but run loves even deeper.
—
Forced out of the closet and the only home he’s ever known, twenty-year-old Evan Harris is left jobless and homeless. A desperate phone call to virtual strangers gives him a temporary place to stay in Atlanta. But he feels completely unprepared for the big city and too shy to go after what he wants: a relationship.
Physically and emotionally scarred from a devastating car accident, thirty-six-year-old Jeremy Lewis struggles to reconcile the popular, outgoing man he used to be with the recluse he’s become. Resigned to being alone, he’s unprepared for the changes Evan brings to his life.
Loneliness draws them together, but it isn’t enough.
Evan must overcome his insecurities and become the man he’s always dreamed of being. Jeremy must battle PTSD and allow someone to get close enough to see his scars. Or else they’ll both miss out on the love of a lifetime.
Ace in the Picture (County Durham Quad #3) by Jude Tresswell
Reviewed by Becca
TITLE: Ace in the Picture
SERIES: County Durham Quad #3
AUTHOR: Jude Tresswell
PUBLISHER: Rowanvale Books Ltd
LENGTH: 171 pages
RELEASE DATE: March 31, 2019
BLURB:
Polyamory and asexuality meet in this third tale about the North East England quad.
The police suspect Raith Balan of faking a painting. So do money launderers who sink profits into art.
Mike, Ross and Phil, the three men in Raith’s life, must prove his innocence. They’re hampered by their certainty that a member of the Fraud Squad is corrupt.
The senior investigating officer is Detective Sergeant Nick Seabrooke. He knows he is asexual, but is he aromantic too?
As Raith’s lovers struggle to keep Raith safe and find the fraudster, the sergeant struggles to understand why the quad is often in his thoughts.
Nine Days, and Seven Tears by JL Merrow
Reviewed by Jess
TITLE: Nine Days, and Seven Tears
AUTHOR: JL Merrow
PUBLISHER: JMS Books
LENGTH: 13 pages
RELEASE DATE: July 20, 2019
BLURB:
Twenty-one-year-old Briony is stagnating, living at home with her parents and younger brother. That is, until a mysterious, beautiful visitor from the sea brings her new hope of happiness.
But Freyja’s not meant to be on the Isle of Wight, and she’s about to leave for home shores. Can Briony find a way to keep her selkie lover by her side?
Arctic Heat (Frozen Hearts #3) by Annabeth Albert
Reviewed by Taylin
TITLE: Arctic Heat
SERIES: Frozen Hearts #3
AUTHOR: Annabeth Albert
PUBLISHER: Carina Press
RELEASE DATE: September 23, 2019
LENGTH: 368 pages
BLURB:
A lasting connection needs more than simply surviving a winter together—they’ll have to outsmart danger, let down their defenses and open their hearts.
Owen Han has a fresh lease on life—he’s kicked cancer’s ass and is roaring through his bucket list. The former investment banker hopes to find his next challenge in Alaska, volunteering alongside park rangers and fulfilling his childhood dreams of snowy winters and rustic life. Of course, those dreams did tend to feature big strapping mountain men in vivid detail…
Ranger Quilleran Ramsey would like to be anywhere other than dealing with newbie volunteers. And really, the only thing he needs less than a green volunteer “partner” is the flirty attentions of a buff city boy who doesn’t look ready to last a week, let alone an Alaskan winter. They’re all wrong for each other, even if Quill’s traitorous body enjoys the flirting more than it should.
As the weeks pass, the two snowbound men give in to temptation. But can their seasonal romance last until spring? For them to have a future together, each will have to trust the other…while hoping that the harsh elements and omnipresent dangers don’t destroy what happiness they’ve found in the moment.
I will admit I don’t always vote in book of the week or month, but this time I just had to. I read Tallowwood by N.R.Walker, and omg, it was the best read of this year for me. I was in a book funk, and this book didn’t just pull me out of this funk, I was totally yanked out by this book. This is one book you must read!!