Reviewed by Cindy

TITLE: Homeward Bound

SERIES: Pine Cove Book 3

AUTHOR: HJ Welch

PUBLISHER: Self-published

LENGTH: 328 Pages

RELEASE DATE: September 20, 2019

BLURB:

After Micha Perkins finds himself wrongly implicated in a crime, the last person he wants coming to his rescue is his secret crush Swift; his older brother’s best friend. But when Micha returns to the town that never felt like home, he discovers Swift’s young daughter is in trouble as well. If Micha can help them both in any way, he knows he will.

Self-defense coach Swift Coal never realized he was a father until he gets custody of five-year-old Imogen and her cranky cat. His neat and tidy life is about to come crashing down, but to his surprise, Micha Perkins is there to save the day. He’s so damn good with kids, and just as cute as Swift remembers. When Micha moves in to help look after Imogen, Swift struggles to repress the feelings he’s kept hidden.

Micha’s always been a misfit and Swift’s life was always orderly. Micha may have taken the fall to protect those more vulnerable than him, but who will save him when his past comes back to haunt him? Was Swift a fool to risk the safety of his daughter around a bad element like Micha? When their chaotic worlds collide, perhaps love and family are the middle ground they both need to become stronger together.

Book Three in Pine Cove. Homeward Bound is a steamy, standalone MM romance novel with a guaranteed HEA and absolutely no cliffhanger.

Reviewed by Becca

TITLE: Pride of Place

SERIES: Mitch & Cian #2

AUTHOR: Helena Stone

PUBLISHER: self-published

LENGTH: 85 pages

RELEASE DATE: June 26, 2019

BLURB:

Six months after meeting Cian, the start of the rest of Mitch’s life is so close he can almost taste it. With his high school exams behind him, he can look forward to a long summer, his first Pride festival in Dublin, and, best of all, moving in with Cian when Mitch starts college in September.

Cian can’t wait to accompany Mitch to his first Pride, or for the moment they’ll start sharing a home and their lives. But while the festival is everything they could have hoped for, unexpected news that Cian is about to lose his room in Dublin puts their life together under threat.

Objections to their plans from the home front and a shocking lack of affordable housing in Dublin could shatter Mitch and Cian’s dreams, but perhaps a second miracle is exactly what they need to find their pride of place.

Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  The Mysterious and Amazing Blue Billings

SERIES: Black and Blue

AUTHOR:  Lily Morton

PUBLISHER: Self-published

LENGTH:  301 pages

RELEASE DATE:  November 14, 2019

BLURB:

Levi Black is at a crossroads. After suffering a loss and breaking up a long-term relationship, he’s looking for a change. When he receives the news he’s inherited a house in York, he seizes the opportunity to begin a new chapter in his life.

However, when he gets there, he finds a house that has never kept its occupants for very long. Either through death or disinclination, no one stays there, and after a few days of living in the place, Levi can understand why. Strange noises can be heard at all hours of the day and night, and disturbing and scary things begin to happen to him. He never believed in ghosts before, but when events take a sinister turn, he knows he must look for help. He finds it in the unlikely form of the blue-haired leader of a ghost tour.

Blue Billings is edgy, beautiful, and lost. Utterly lost. He conceals so many secrets that some days it’s a miracle he remembers his own name. He knows that he should ignore Levi because he threatens the tenuous grip Blue has on survival. But there’s something about the kind-eyed man that draws Blue to him. Something that demands he stay and fight for him when he would normally run in the opposite direction.

As the two men investigate the shocking truth behind Levi’s house, they also discover a deep connection that defies the short length of time they’ve known each other. But when events escalate and his life is on the line, Levi has to wonder if it was wise to trust the Mysterious and Amazing Blue Billings.

Reviewed by Becca

TITLE: Reunion

SERIES: Ace’s Wild #7

AUTHOR: Neve Wilder

PUBLISHER: self- published

LENGTH: 141 pages

RELEASE DATE: November 5, 2019

BLURB:

Cole:

Dane was everything I wanted to be in high school. Popular, confident, insanely hot. He was also my best friend and secret crush until I managed to screw that up.

When I see him again after nearly a decade apart, I’m floored. If anything, he’s even sexier. But more importantly, he’s not holding any grudges. In fact, he seems…interested in me. And when my soon-to-be sister-in-law drops a little secret about him, I’m done for.

I want him. It doesn’t have to be forever. I just need one night, one down and dirty interlude on my primarily vanilla existence, and I’ll be set for life.

Dane:

The second I spot Cole at his brother’s wedding, I might as well be back in high school all over again.

All those old feelings come rushing back: the pining—my god, the pining I did for this man—and all the regret I’ve carried for being too afraid to tell him back then.

But now that Cole’s out of the closet and looking for something a little…different, I can’t resist. Because that happens to be my forte, and I’m more than happy to give him exactly what he needs.

One wild night should be enough to leave us both satisfied, right?

Reviewed by Danielle

TITLE: After the Crash

SERIES: A Small Town Hearts Novel

AUTHOR: Emma Calcott

PUBLISHER: Self Published

LENGTH: 265 Pages

RELEASE DATE: November 11, 2019

BLURB:

Rule #1 Straight military men will always be straight, no matter how much you wish otherwise
Rule #2 Being a billionaire won’t change that (probably)
Rule #3 The whole thing between you when you were in high school? It was only fantasy
Rule #4 One-sided fantasy
Rule #5 God, how great would it be if it was a two-sided fantasy?
Rule #6 Okay, getting off track
Rule #7 Hiring your hot high school crush is totally okay
Rule #8 If you don’t let your feelings get in the way, everything will be fine

Marshall Lloyd is about to be very not fine. Not only is his high school crush back in his life, but he’s matured into a gruff, brooding, drop-dead-gorgeous specimen of a man that makes Marshall’s wet dreams seem about as exciting as drying paint. The only problem: Fox Fraser, the individual in question, is straight.

Super straight.

The kind of straight that would make a ruler jealous.

But if what Marshall sees when he looks in Fox’s eyes is to be believed, he’s broken, too. There are scars inside of him that no one notices. No one but Marshall. It’s not wrong to want to help him, is it? To hire him to take care of things around the house so he can get back on his feet? It’s just work. Work that leads to lingering looks. To prolonged touches. To… mmph. It’s better not to think about it. Marshall’s fantasies aren’t real. A guy like Fox would never pin him to a wall and do things to him like that.

Maybe.

Probably.

Right?

After the Crash is the first book in the Small Town Hearts series, which features heroes scattered across the rural United States who find love where they’re least expecting it. In addition to explosive chemistry, you can expect sneezing bushes, tea that tastes like hay, and a wet wrestling match that’s just boys having fun, Mom.

REVIEWED by Jay V.

TITLE: Starting from Scratch

AUTHOR: Lane Hayes

SERIES: Starting From #2

PUBLISHER: Self Published

LENGTH: 275 pages

RELEASE DATE: October 13, 2019

BLURB:

Charlie Rourke is an ultra fabulous human whirlwind on a mission to launch the next biggest band in the world. However, he might have taken on more than he could handle when he signed on to manage Zero. Promoting a rock band and finding gigs shouldn’t be hard. They’re a talented group with a ton of star power. If Charlie can find the right record label, he’s sure he can help them get to the next level. The only problem is the skater boy slash bassist with a quirky sense of humor. He’s annoying and silly, and he’s exactly Charlie’s type. Except he’s straight.

Ky Baldwin isn’t afraid to switch things up. He loves a challenge as much as anyone, but Charlie doesn’t make things easy. Zero’s manager is a force of nature with a razor sharp tongue, a quick wit, and a no-nonsense attitude. Ky can’t stop thinking about him. Winning over Charlie becomes Ky’s pet project. But when the ice between them thaws, neither is prepared for the intensity of going from enemies to lovers. They’ll have to decide if they’re willing to start from scratch and take a chance on the unexpected.

Reviewed by Becca

TITLE: Rules to Break

SERIES: Davey’s Rules #2

AUTHOR: Susan Hawke

PUBLISHER: self-published

LENGTH: 311 pages

RELEASE DATE: September 26, 2019

BLURB:

Davey’s Rule #91: Daddy never loses faith in his boy.

Bryan Miller is satisfied with his uncomplicated life. He’s a discipline Daddy who’s not in the market for any kind of permanent relationship. And why should he be? Like the waves he surfs in the small beach town he calls home, there’s always another body available to warm his bed when he tires of the current flavor of the week.

Preston Wallace is a snotty rich brat with enough attitude to keep all the Daddies from giving him a chance. He gets it… people are jealous of him for being rich, hot, and fit. It would take a strong Daddy to take him in hand.

A casual conversation on the night of Preston’s twenty-fifth birthday ties these two stubborn men together in a bet right out of the musical My Fair Lady. Can Daddy Bryan turn the obnoxious brat into a dateable boy within a ninety-day timeframe?

Strap in for a roller-coaster of emotions as Bryan takes firm control of a brat who might just need to know someone cares enough to try.

This is the second book in this series about not-so-perfect Daddies, adorable “boys,” and one sassy brat with an insane list of rules. Grab your fan and tissues because this series comes with both a high heat advisory and all the squishy feels you’d want from a Susan Hawke book. Possible trigger for the death a background character

Reviewed by Becca

TITLE: Promise

SERIES: Single Dads #3

AUTHOR: RJ Scott

PUBLISHER: Love Lane Books Ltd

LENGTH: 207 pages

RELEASE DATE: November 2, 2019

BLURB:

Leo Byrne is a cop, Jason Banks is an ex-con. Even after one stolen kiss, something has to give before Leo can convince Jason that falling in love is even an option.

Adopted at a young age, Leo is part of the sprawling Byrnes family. With his dog Cap, three siblings and a whole mess of nieces and nephews, he is never lonely, and his life is full. Love is the last item on his to-do list, but seeing his best friends Sean and Eric happy and making new families makes him want things he doesn’t think is possible. Kissing Jason at an event to honor his bravery was one thing, but anything other than that is off limits. Until Jason has no one left to turn to, and it’s Leo who helps him at his lowest. Taking Jason and his daughter into his home is one thing, but falling for the ex-con is something else altogether.

Jason made a deal to keep his daughter safe and spent years behind bars as a result. Volunteering as a convict firefighter was as much about helping the community as saving his sanity, but now that he’s out, he doesn’t even have that. He’s lost his future, his self-respect, and has no friends or a place to call home. Worst of all, even after rescuing his daughter he still can’t keep her safe from the man who wants to use her as a bargaining chip for money. Meeting Leo might give Jason a way to keep Daisy safe, but falling for the stubborn cop means the truth has to be revealed, and he could lose everything all over again.

Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  Hensley Manor

SERIES: A Snow Globe Christmas

AUTHOR:  Jaclyn Osborn

PUBLISHER:  Self-published

LENGTH:  157 pages

RELEASE DATE:  November 22, 2019

BLURB:

Cole hates Christmas. He finds it all ridiculous; the decorations, music, and the obsession with spending a fortune just to show people you care about them. He used to love the holiday season. But that was before his world came crashing down around him.

Now, the happy families and Christmas cheer only remind him of things he’d rather forget.
Everything changes when he visits Treasures of Old Antiques. The snow globe on the dusty shelf was just a silly trinket. So why did Cole feel an overwhelming sense of peace when he picked it up?

When he wakes up the next morning in a strange manor with no recollection of how he got there, he thinks he’s officially lost his mind. And then he meets Ian Hensley, the sexy Bed & Breakfast owner. There’s an instant connection between the two men; powerful and almost…magical. Though it’s snowing outside, Cole and Ian stay warm and cozy between the sheets.
But what happens when Cole’s stay comes to an end? He can’t stay in the snowy, charming town of Evergreen Valley forever.

Welcome to Hensley Manor.
Breakfast is at 7:30 and lunch is at noon. Warm yourself by the fire and enjoy your stay. And be careful, you might just find what you’re looking for this Christmas.

*Although this book is part of A Snow Globe Christmas series, it is a complete standalone, and it isn’t a requirement that you read the previous books to follow along. We wish everyone a happy holiday season.*

Reviewed by Roberta

TITLE: Running from my heart

SERIES: Rock Bottom # 3

AUTHOR: Felice Stevens

PUBLISHER: Self Published

LENGTH: 340 Pages

RELEASE DATE: October 6, 2019

BLURB:

“Holding onto the past can hurt more than letting it go.”
People say six years is long enough to mourn the death of his husband but for Ross Miller, the pain is as fresh as if it happened yesterday. He’s left his glittering Hollywood life behind, yet guilt still dogs his steps, no matter how far he runs. Trapped by his past and needing to escape his well-meaning friends, he rents a cabin in the secluded Adirondack mountains. A reclusive man moves in next door and piques Ross’s interest, but his persistent attempts at friendship are rebuffed. That doesn’t stop him because the one rule Ross Miller has always lived by is to never take no for an answer.

Novelist Arden Wainwright has given up. He can’t pretend a happiness he knows he’ll never find again. Solitary days turn into years, and he remains frozen, unable to take a breath. At his wit’s end, he retreats to the mountains, but it does little to stir his creativity. He continues to hide from life and avoids his overly nosy neighbor, who insists on planting himself at Arden’s doorstep at every turn. Making friends is the last thing Arden wants, but annoying or not, he can’t get the damn man out of his mind.

Finding peace in their isolated surroundings, the two lonely men forge an unlikely friendship where they realize they’re more alike than different and better together than apart. With Ross’s help, Arden begins to rebuild the shattered pieces of his life, while Arden gives Ross the strength to face his fears and find his way home. When love comes calling you can choose to hide from hurt, loss, and pain, but if you take a chance and open the door, you might discover that running from your heart is the last thing you’ll want to do.
This book can be read as a stand alone but you may remember Ross, Foster’s best friend from Broken Silence, Book One of the Rock Bottom series.