Reviewed by Annika

TITLE: Back in Black

SERIES: McGinnis Investigations #1

AUTHOR: Rhys Ford

NARRATOR: Greg Tremblay

PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press

LENGTH: 7 hours, 2 minutes

RELEASE DATE: February 13, 2020

BLURB:

There are eight million stories in the City of Angels but only one man can stumble upon the body of a former client while being chased by a pair of Dobermans and a deranged psycho dressed as a sheep.

That man is Cole McGinnis.

Since his last life-threatening case years ago, McGinnis has married the love of his life, Jae-Min Kim, consulted for the LAPD, and investigated cases as a private detective for hire. Yet nothing could have prepared him for the shocking discovery of a dead, grandmotherly woman at his feet and the cascade of murders that follows, even if he should have been used to it by now.

Now he’s back in the dark world of murder and intrigue where every bullet appears to have his name on it and every answer he digs up seems to only create more questions. Hired by the dead woman’s husband, McGinnis has to figure out who is behind the crime spree. As if the twisted case of a murdered grandmother isn’t complicated enough, Death is knocking on his door, and each time it opens, Death is wearing a new face, leaving McGinnis to wonder who he can actually trust.

Reviewed by Annika

TITLE: Destroyer of Worlds

SERIES: SPECTR #5

AUTHOR: Jordan L. Hawk

NARRATOR: Brad Langer

PUBLISHER: Widdershins Press

LENGTH: 4 hours, 11 minutes

RELEASE DATE: December 16, 2014

BLURB:

After becoming possessed by the vampire spirit Gray, telekinetic Caleb Jansen thought his situation couldn’t get any worse. But that was before Graham Forsyth, head of SPECTR’s sinister Research Division, took him into custody.

Forsyth claims he can exorcise Gray before the forty-day time limit runs out. But once at RD, Caleb and Gray find themselves ensnared in a web of lies. What is the truth behind the tests Forsyth is performing on them? What does the agency really plan to do with Gray? And most worrisome of all, why does Gray sense demons within the walls of RD’s compound?

Caleb’s boyfriend, SPECTR agent John Starkweather, has suspicions of his own. With the help of his friend Sean and a shadowy organization known only by their symbol of a moth, John intends to save Caleb and Gray at any cost.

But when divided loyalties threaten his last chance at exorcism, Caleb discovers love may come at a price higher than he’d ever imagined.

Reviewed by Annika

TITLE: Hither, Page

SERIES: Page & Sommers #1

AUTHOR: Cat Sebastian

NARRATOR: Joel Leslie

PUBLISHER: Self-Published

LENGTH: 6 hours, 27 minutes

RELEASE DATE: February 4, 2020

BLURB:

A jaded spy and a shell-shocked country doctor team up to solve a murder in postwar England.

James Sommers returned from the war with his nerves in tatters. All he wants is to retreat to the quiet village of his childhood and enjoy the boring, predictable life of a country doctor. The last thing in the world he needs is a handsome stranger who seems to be mixed up with the first violent death the village has seen in years. It certainly doesn’t help that this stranger is the first person James has wanted to touch since before the war.

The war may be over for the rest of the world, but Leo Page is still busy doing the dirty work for one of the more disreputable branches of the intelligence service. When his boss orders him to cover up a murder, Leo isn’t expecting to be sent to a sleepy village. After a week of helping old ladies wind balls of yarn and flirting with a handsome doctor, Leo is in danger of forgetting what he really is and why he’s there. He’s in danger of feeling things he has no business feeling. A person who burns his identity after every job can’t put down roots.

As he starts to untangle the mess of secrets and lies that lurk behind the lace curtains of even the most peaceful-seeming of villages, Leo realizes that the truths he’s about to uncover will affect his future and that of the man he’s growing to care about.

Reviewed by Annika

TITLE: Too Close

AUTHOR: R. Phoenix

NARRATOR: Michael Lesley

PUBLISHER: Self-Published

LENGTH: 5 hours, 25 minutes

RELEASE DATE: December 6, 2019

BLURB:

Skylar Orion’s life has been complicated ever since his mother abandoned him and his sister Evie. Making ends meet seemed impossible until Tate Chandler took them in — his knight in shining armor who promised to make life about more than just surviving. But Tate is not the man he seemed to be, and even his whispered I love yous and generous gifts do little to soothe the pain he causes. Knowing he can’t give his sister all that she deserves without Tate, Skylar stays with him, relying on bad puns and a worse sense of humor to keep up the charade.

For his sister he will do anything, even if that means acting the responsible adult and going back to his old high school to meet Dexter Weston, the hot math teacher who can make even algebra interesting. Sparks fly between the two of them, but with his dependence on Tate, Skylar isn’t free to follow his heart. He wants what is best for Evie, but can he pass up the chance to find love that heals instead of harms?

Warning: Graphic Domestic Abuse and Violence.

Reviewed by Annika

TITLE: Deosil

SERIES: Whyborne & Griffin #11

AUTHOR: Jordan L. Hawk

NARRATOR: Julian G. Simmons

PUBLISHER: Widdershins Press

LENGTH: 7 hours, 58 minutes

RELEASE DATE: February 4, 2020

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 Annika

TITLE: Eater of Lives

SERIES: SPECTR #4

AUTHOR: Jordan L. Hawk

NARRATOR: Brad Langer

PUBLISHER: Widdershins Press

LENGTH: 3 hours, 11 minutes

RELEASE DATE: November 25, 2014

BLURB:

When a supernatural killer is implicated in a string of cannibalistic murders, federal exorcist John Starkweather must track the demon down with the help of his live-in lover, Caleb Jansen. Caleb is possessed by Gray, a vampire spirit who is a natural demon hunter.

Caleb’s desire to find the killer is tempered by the knowledge his own time is running out. If John can’t successfully figure out how to exorcise Gray before forty days are up, the possession becomes permanent.

When John’s ex shows up, looking for a place to stay while visiting the city on business, tensions mount even higher. Lines are drawn and Caleb learns some decisions, once made, can never be changed.

Reviewed by Valerie

TITLE:  A Surplus of Light

AUTHOR: Chase Connor

NARRATOR: Brian Lore Evans

PUBLISHER: The Lion Fish Press

LENGTH: 3 hours, 16 minutes

RELEASE DATE: December 12, 2019

BLURB: 

“He’s a psycho.” That’s what Mike is told when he asks who the kid is with the dark swoop of hair and eyes that look like icebergs floating in milk. From that moment, it becomes Mike’s mission to find out everything about this kid. The kid who can fight better than anyone, but doesn’t want to. The kid who is the greatest artist Mike’s ever met. The kid who only wants to be his friend during the lightest days of summer. The kid who tells him that being his friend at school will only ruin Mike’s reputation. Regardless of what the kid tells Mike, he doesn’t realize that summer is the best time–it has the most light–and it makes it easier for Mike to see who he truly is. And there’s no way Mike will back off once he sees this kid for who he truly is.

Reviewed by Annika

TITLE: Summoner of Storms

SERIES: SPECTR #6

AUTHOR: Jordan L. Hawk

NARRATOR: Brad Langer

PUBLISHER: Widdershins Press

LENGTH: 6 hours, 11 minutes

RELEASE DATE: January 22, 2015

BLURB:

Federal exorcist John Starkweather’s life is in tatters. His best friend Sean betrayed him. SPECTR, the agency he viewed more as a surrogate family than an employer, wants him dead. His only allies are members of the mysterious organization called the Vigilant, whose motives remain in question.

The only thing keeping John together is the presence of his lovers: Caleb Jansen, a powerful telekinetic, and Gray, the vampire spirit possessing Caleb.

Together, they must not only evade capture, but somehow stop SPECTR from building an army of demon possessed soldiers. If they are to succeed, John must question everything he’s ever believed about SPECTR and spirits. And Caleb and Gray must decide how far they’re willing to go—not just for John’s love, but for his very life.

Reviewed by Annika

TITLE: Ride or Dye

SERIES: Curl Up and Dye #6

AUTHOR: Aimee Nicole Walker

NARRATOR: Joel Leslie

PUBLISHER: Tantor Audio

LENGTH: 5 hours, 41 minutes

RELEASE DATE: February 18, 2020

BLURB:

Gabe and Josh Roman-Wyatt have been living life in the fast lane. Demanding jobs, precocious twin toddlers, an ever-growing circle of friends, and a menagerie of pets means their home is filled with love and laughter but very few quiet moments for the happy couple. Gabe’s solution is to plan a surprise vacation at a perfect hideaway where the two of them can slow things down and reconnect.

Tarlington House, a historic home located on Edisto Island in South Carolina, hosts an annual murder-mystery event which will allow Josh to use the skills he learned from his all-time favorite television detective to solve the case. The serene setting is perfect for fun days in the sun, passionate lovemaking under the stars, and a healthy wager between husbands to see who can plan the best date. But when the other guests arrive, the guys find themselves surrounded by liars and cheaters who will say or do anything to win, reminding them there’s no place like Blissville.

When a guest is killed during a vicious storm that knocks out the power and phone lines, Josh and Gabe’s murder mystery role-playing becomes a real-life whodunnit.

Reviewed by Annika

TITLE: Wilde Love

SERIES: Forever Wilde #6

AUTHOR: Lucy Lennox

NARRATOR: Michael Dean

PUBLISHER: Self-Published

LENGTH: 7 hours, 20 minutes

RELEASE DATE: May 24, 2019

BLURB:

Weston “Major” Marian

After running away at the age of 17, I found a new home in the army. It wasn’t long before my fellow soldiers became my new family, giving purpose to my time in Vietnam.

But everything changes when Doc Wilde joins my medevac crew. A night alone in the jungle after a helicopter crash forces us to rely on each other for survival, the secrets we share cementing a bond between us deeper than any other I’ve known.

Doc begins to play a starring role in my late night fantasies even though I know he can never be anything more than a friend, a brother-in-arms. He’s straight, with a wife and kids back in Texas, and there would be devastating consequences if anyone in the army discovered my secret.

But Doc was never a lifer like me. When our tours end, we go our separate ways. He heads home to his perfect family while I continue to serve. I thought that was the end of our story. Turns out I was wrong.

Liam “Doc” Wilde

When I wind up on the front lines in Vietnam young and afraid, it’s Major Marian who comes to my rescue. He’s tough, brave, and quiet, and he vows to keep me safe. He’s the only reason I make it home to my wife and kids alive.

For some, a friendship like that might have ended once we left the jungle behind, but as time passes, our bond only continues to grow. Years later, when an unexpected illness turns my life upside down, Major is the first person I turn to for help, and he drops everything to rescue me as always.

I soon realize that at every step of my life, Major has been there, by my side, putting me first. All this time he’s been standing in the sidelines, waiting patiently to hand over his heart into my safekeeping.

I never imagined building a life with another man, but seeing Major in this new light is like a revelation. And suddenly I can’t imagine it any other way.

Reviewed by Annika

TITLE: A New Empire

SERIES: Fog City #3

AUTHOR: Layla Reyne

NARRATOR: Tristan James

PUBLISHER: Tantor Audio

LENGTH: 5 hours, 42 minutes

RELEASE DATE: February 11, 2020

BLURB:

Legacies were made to be rewritten.

Assassin Hawes Madigan wants to do right – by his family, his organization, his city, and the man he’s falling for, ATF agent Christopher Perri. But Hawes’s rules are being challenged by someone willing to kill for the old ways. To save his soul and his empire, Hawes must make an impossible decision: fight from the outside or bend the knee to win back his throne from within.

Chris is used to being the inside man, the one undercover. Now, he’s on the outside marshaling forces in support of the man and the ring of assassins he was supposed to take down. His mission shifted when he found something that’s been missing for 10 long years – a home, with Hawes.

As Hawes and Chris make a dangerous play for control, the lines between allies and traitors blur. Trusting the wrong person could destroy the legacy Hawes envisions for the Madigans. But not trusting anyone, or each other, could mean lights out on their love and lives forever.

Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  Deal Maker

SERIES:  Mixed Messages #2

AUTHOR:  Lily Morton

NARRATOR:  Joel Leslie

PUBLISHER:  Self-published

LENGTH:  11 hours and 8 minutes

BLURB:

Sometimes your mouth makes deals that your heart can’t honour.

Jude is a highly successful model, but a very reluctant one. His life is full of casual hook-ups with pretty men in glamorous locations, but it’s still empty. However, circumstances decreed a long time ago that this was his path, so he’s resolutely stayed on it and accepted his fate with good grace. He made a deal with himself and his hook-ups. Get in, get out and no ties with anyone.

However, an accident at home one night leads to him making a new deal and accepting the offer of help from an unlikely source. It leads to an unexpected summer of falling in love with a larger than life man and his child.

But by the end of the summer his reasons for not staying are still valid. Will he turn away? Can he?

Asa is a talented actor who has spent time away from the scene to look after his son. But now he’s back, and the last thing he needs are complications from the gorgeous man who is staying with him. Scarred from too many betrayals, he has no intention of forming a lasting tie with anyone. However, he can’t resist the beautiful man with secrets, and to his horror he develops feelings.

But a deal’s a deal and they said it was just for the summer. What can Asa do with a man who has forever in his eyes and goodbye on his lips?

From the Amazon bestselling author of ‘Rule Breaker’ comes another scorchingly hot romantic comedy.

Reviewed by Annika

TITLE: After the Crash

SERIES: Small Town Hearts #1

AUTHOR: Emma Alcott

NARRATOR: J.F. Harding

PUBLISHER: Self-Published

LENGTH: 6 hours, 58 minutes

RELEASE DATE: December 19, 2019

BLURB:

Rule number one: Straight military men will always be straight, no matter how much you wish otherwise.

Rule number two: Being a billionaire won’t change that (probably).

Rule number three: The whole thing between you when you were in high school? It was only fantasy.

Rule number four: One-sided fantasy.

Rule number five: God, how great would it be if it was a two-sided fantasy?

Rule number six: Okay, getting off track.

Rule number seven: Hiring your hot high school crush is totally okay.

Rule number eight: 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 who 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.