Reviewed by Dan

TITLE: Deosil

SERIES: Whyborne & Griffin – Book 11

AUTHOR: Jordan L. Hawk

PUBLISHER: Self-Published

RELEASE DATE:  October 11, 2019

BLURB:

Whyborne, Griffin, and their friends have faced down cultists, monsters, and sorcerers. But their greatest challenge is now upon them.

On the return voyage from Balefire Manor, Whyborne receives the worst news possible: Widdershins has fallen before the onslaught of the Fideles and their servants. There’s still time to stop the return of the Masters, but that window grows shorter by the hour.

Together with Christine and Iskander, Whyborne and Griffin must reach Widdershins to face the ultimate test—and decide the fate of the world, once and for all.

Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  After Ben  (2nd Edition)

SERIES:  Seattle Stories

AUTHOR:  Con Riley

PUBLISHER:  Self-published

LENGTH:  300 pages

RELEASE DATE:  October 5, 2019

BLURB: 

A year after the sudden death of his longtime partner, Ben, Theo Anderson is still grieving. The last thing he’s looking for is a new lover. But as Theo soon discovers, sometimes life has other plans.

While Theo experiences a powerful physical attraction to fellow gym member Peter, it’s his new online friend, Morgan, who provides the intellectual challenge to make him come alive. Morgan is witty, brave, and irreverent, and Theo is ready to take the plunge… until he discovers Morgan might be half his age.

Theo’s late partner was significantly older—enough to strain Theo’s relationship with his family—and the potential of another relationship being cut short leaves him gunshy. Theo needs to lay Ben’s memory to rest, reconcile with his family, and rekindle neglected friendships if he’s to start afresh with a new lover. But Theo isn’t the only one with a past.

His biggest challenge, in living after Ben, might not be his to face.

Reviewed by Becca

TITLE: Twice Baked

AUTHOR: Andrew Grey

PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press

LENGTH: 174 pages

RELEASE DATE: October 8, 2019

BLURB:

When the pickiest eater in America is tapped to judge a cooking competition along with his chef ex-boyfriend, will it be a recipe for a second chance… or disaster?

Luke Walker’s humor about foods he can’t stand made him an internet celebrity and his blog, The Pickiest Eater in America, a huge hit. He plans to bring that same lighthearted comedy to the show—but he won’t be the only host.

Meyer Thibodeaux might be a famous chef, but he’s solemn, uptight, and closeted. He’s also  Luke’s ex. As different as they are, the sparks between Luke and Meyer never really went out, and as they work together, each begins to see the other in a new light, and the passion between them reignites, hot as ever. But secrets, gossip, and rumors on the set could sour their reunion.

Reviewed by Becca

TITLE: Fish on a Bicycle

SERIES: Fish Out of Water #5

AUTHOR: Amy Lane

PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press

LENGTH: 327 pages

RELEASE DATE: October 15, 2019

BLURB:

Jackson Rivers has always bucked the rules—and bucking the rules of recovery is no exception. Now that he and Ellery are starting their own law firm, there’s no reason he can’t rush into trouble and take the same risks as always, right?

Maybe not. Their first case is a doozy, involving porn stars, drug empires, and daddy issues, and their client, Henry Worrall, wants to be an active participant in his own defense. As Henry and Jackson fight the bad guys and each other to find out who dumped the porn star in the trash can, Jackson must reexamine his assumptions that four months of rest and a few good conversations have made him all better inside.

Jackson keeps crashing his bicycle of self-care and a successful relationship, and Ellery wonders what’s going to give out first—Jackson’s health or Ellery’s patience. Jackson’s body hasn’t forgiven him for past crimes. Can Ellery forgive him for his current sins? And can they keep Henry from going to jail for sleeping with the wrong guy at the wrong time?

Being a fish out of water is tough—but if you give a fish a bicycle, how’s he going to swim?

REVIEWED by Jen B.

TITLE: Ground Zero

SERIES: Zero Hour

AUTHOR: Aimee Nicole Walker

PUBLISHER: Chasing Rainbows Press

LENGTH: 287 Pages

RELEASE DATE: September 22, 2019

BLURB:

Ground zero, noun: the center or origin of rapid, intense, or violent activity or change.

Heat, humidity, and homicide are things veteran detective Sawyer Key expects to encounter on his first day with the Savannah Police Department, but the hostile reception from his new partner catches him by surprise. Sawyer isn’t a stranger to heartache and recognizes that Royce Locke is a wounded man who’s reeling from a devastating loss. Relentless and patient in all things, Sawyer is determined to make the new partnership work.

Savannah, Georgia is known for her quirky people, oak trees draped in Spanish moss, and antebellum architecture. Beneath the Southern charm and hospitality, festering hatred and violence is soaring with the summer temperatures. Locke and Key find themselves at the epicenter when their first case involves the death of a former shock jock who appears to be the victim of vigilante justice.

Opposites in nearly every way, the two detectives set aside their differences to take back their city and restore law and order. From this reluctant truce, an intense attraction grows that will either tighten or shatter their tenuous bond. Falling for his partner spells inevitable disaster, but Sawyer’s always been a sucker for wounded things. Sawyer could be the key to the life Royce has always wanted, if he’s brave enough to trust him. The fuse is lit, the clock is running, and the zero hour is upon them. Tick tock.

Ground Zero is the first book in the Zero Hour series, which follows Locke and Key’s investigations and evolving relationship. Ground Zero has a happy-for-now ending with no cliffhanger. It contains mature language and sexual content intended for adults 18 and older.

REVIEWED by Jen B.

TITLE: Long Way Home

AUTHOR: Nicky James

PUBLISHER: Nicky James

LENGTH: 310 Pages

RELEASE DATE: August 14, 2019

BLURB:

It was love at first sight.
They were soulmates.
It was forever.
But they were only sixteen.
Too innocent. Too naïve.
Too ignorant about the world around them.
Besides, nothing lasts forever.
With their fairy-tale future torn to shreds, both boys need to learn to find their own way in an unforgiving world.
Gavin Buchanan is thrown into a life he didn’t want, molded to do a job he always feared. He must learn to get by, but with only his brothers in arms to lean on and secrets so deep they eat at his core every day, he struggles. How long until life in the Marine Corps turns this gentle, tender-hearted man into someone no one recognizes?
Owen Wallace is adrift and going through the motions. Every time he tries to stand tall and put the past behind him, life kicks him down. There is only so much a person can take before they turn bitter and jaded. It wasn’t supposed to be this way.
Their souls are bound to each other.
Nothing will keep them apart.
It will take time, but they just need to find their way home.

**Triggers for PTSD**

REVIEWED by Jay V.

TITLE: Rushing In

AUTHOR: Alice Winters

SERIES: Ace’s Wild #3

PUBLISHER: Self Published

LENGTH: 128 pages

RELEASE DATE: October 8, 2019

BLURB:

I finally have a chance to team up with Bradley, the hot fellow police officer that I’ve been longing to get closer to. Somehow, I haven’t scared him off, even with my awkward flirting and my father telling him that I mimed giving birth to a cat as a child. When we get a call about a missing college student, I’m eager for the chance to work a case with Bradley, especially when we realize that there might be something more going on. But Bradley and I are determined to figure it out together, even if it means that I have to walk through an adult shop with him by my side. It’s not my fault that the store owners think he’s a stripper with his tight uniform. Okay, maybe that’s just what I was hoping for. A man can dream, right?

Spending time with Bradley is better than I ever imagined. He’s sweet, funny, and goes along with just about anything I say or do. It doesn’t help that I have a problem of rushing into situations without thinking them through, like the death ride on his motorcycle. But when we go to Ace’s Wild to see if we can find out more about the missing person, I learn something new about Bradley that could help me get closer to him. And the book I buy might give me some insight if I would actually read it instead of just looking at the pictures. When he asks me out, I realize that maybe I’m not the only one who wants more. Here’s hoping I don’t scare him off with the location of our second date!

PLEASE NOTE: For the first 90 days of this title’s publication, all sales and page reads will be donated to Kaleidoscope Youth Center, an LGBTQ+ center.

Reviewed by Dan

TITLE: More Than This

SERIES: California Obscura Series #5

AUTHOR: Alexa Land

PUBLISHER: Self-Published

LENGTH: 212 Pages

RELEASE DATE:  October 24, 2019

BLURB:

So, apparently I’m a warlock.

That’s what I’ve been told by a mysterious stranger who broke into my home and claims to be a vampire. He also says my powers are going to activate in two weeks, on my twenty-fifth birthday. Oh, and by the way, that just might set me off like a nuclear bomb. Since something inside me is starting to build to almost unbearable levels, he might be right about that. He also says he’s willing to help me, as long as I do a favor for him in return.

But can I trust him?

And why does this have to be happening now, right after I met the man of my dreams? Ari Bloom is everything I’ve ever wanted, and there’s no way I can tell him about any of this while we’re just getting to know each other. What would I even say? Oh hey, turns out magic is real, I might be the most powerful warlock on the planet, and there’s a chance I could go supernova in a few days.

Yeah, I don’t think so.

My name is Griffin Vale, and this is what I have to do: survive my birthday, help a vampire in need, and keep pretending everything is perfectly normal for Ari’s sake, even as my world starts spiraling wildly out of control around us.

Piece of cake, right?

This light-hearted, M/M paranormal romance is part of Alexa Land’s California Obscura Series. It features an inept warlock, a sweet cinnamon roll of a barista, an annoyed bulldog, and an assortment of vampires. While characters throughout the series make cameo appearances, each book is written as a stand-alone.