Reviewed by Becca

TITLE: Far Away

AUTHOR: Bryan T. Clark

PUBLISHER: Cornbread Publishing

LENGTH: 266 pages

RELEASE DATE: May 1, 2020

BLURB:

First love can save you … and ruin you …

Eighteen-year-old Noah Rothenberg spent the perfect summer with his first love, the charming and seductive Spiro. He fell head over heels in love from what started as a clumsy crush. But that was twelve years ago. His relationships since have been spectacular failures because of how things ended with Spiro. If he has any hope of moving forward, he needs to find Spiro and get some closure … even if he has to fly halfway around the world to do it. Too bad he instead finds himself falling—again—for the man who ruined him for all other men.

Love isn’t an emotion Spiro Papadopoulos entirely trusts anymore. He’s far too pragmatic for that. His focus these days has to be on his art and caring for his ailing mother. Being with Noah again is easy and feels so right … but is it love? Spiro isn’t sure. Besides, with his entire life being tied to Greece and Noah’s to New York, love might just be a luxury neither of them can afford.

Can Spiro and Noah overcome the oceans and years between them—or will their second chance at love end as badly as their first?

Reviewed by Anna Lynn

TITLE:  Broken Warrior

SERIES: The Weavers Circle #1

AUTHOR: Jocelynn Drake & Rinda Elliott

PUBLISHER:  Self-Published

RELEASE DATE:  April 24, 2020

LENGTH:  329 pages

BLURB:

Clay Green

A brotherhood? Monsters? Goddesses? Magic?

The world has become a strange place.

After a life on the run, Clay Green is rescued by a crazy old lady with a shotgun and an even crazier story about monsters, goddesses, and a secret brotherhood.

Gifted with the power of the earth, Clay must locate his missing “brothers” before invading monsters can destroy everything.

As if that’s not enough to contend with, Clay can’t keep his hands off the man trying to rebuild the plantation house he’s temporarily living in.

Dane Briggs

Something strange is going on…

Dane knew restoring the old plantation house wasn’t going to be an easy job, but at least none of the clients were going to be underfoot. Since losing his wife and child, the only way Dane can keep going is to focus on the work.

But that focus crumbles the second Clay appears covered in blood and barely hanging on to life.

Mystery and danger cling to Clay and the other men who suddenly show up. A smart man would walk away.

Dane chucks smart out the window in favor of hungry kisses and the silken slide of skin against skin. He doesn’t understand what’s happening, but there’s no question that Clay needs him.

He’s just not sure his heart can survive being broken again if something happens to Clay.

Broken Warrior is the first book in The Weavers Circle series. It includes fast-paced action, explosions, hurt/comfort, sexy times, animal shenanigans, wounded hearts, three crazy old ladies, and magic!

Reviewed by Becca

TITLE: Were-Geeks Save Wisconsin

SERIES: Were-Geeks Save the World #1

AUTHOR: Kathy Lyons

PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press

LENGTH: 258 pages

RELEASE DATE: April 14, 2020

BLURB:

When badass werewolves battling supernatural evil realize they need tech support, they recruit a group of geeks with hilarious—and romantic—results.

Chemist Josh Collier is having a blast at a comic book convention when he gets the shock of his life—he’s a werewolf! WTF? Before he can howl, he’s whisked away to a secret lair by Nero, a hot guy dressed as a Roman centurion. Josh’s former life is over, and his genius is needed at Wulf, Inc.

Nero has no interest in babysitting a trainee were-geek when he’d rather be killing the demon that wiped out his entire pack. While Josh analyzes the monster’s weapon, wild passion ignites between him and Nero.

With destiny and their pack in the balance, can they survive the demon out to destroy Wisconsin?

Reviewed by Becca & Jen

TITLE: See Me

AUTHOR: T.L.Travis

PUBLISHER: Sapphire Publishing

LENGTH: 176 pages

RELEASE DATE: February 14, 2020

BLURB:

For Raphe Lombardi, life hasn’t been easy.

Permanently disfigured by a car crash at the age of nine that claimed the lives of his parents, set him on a never ending path of doctors and painful procedures.

“Never judge a book by its cover, Il mio piccolo,” Aunt Sophia would always say, tapping the space above her heart. “Trust what’s inside. Even beauty sometimes has an evil lurking beneath.” Over the years her nickname for me, my little one, was shorted to Mio. Calling me little when I now towered over her five foot frame by more than fourteen inches made it even more adorable to hear her say.

Is it best to see someone for who they truly are, or is it safer to hide in the shadows and avoid risking it all?

Potential triggers: Verbal abuse/bullying, physical abuse, self-loathing, self-harm, thoughts of suicide, dealing with death of loved ones.

Reviewed by Taylin

TITLE: Pirates Of Romance

AUTHOR: Asta Idonea

PUBLISHER: Self-Published

RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2020

LENGTH: 56 Pages

BLURB:

Xander joins his local am-dram group in order to make friends. He certainly doesn’t expect to fall for the group’s playboy star.
Graeme is confident and easygoing. He believes in fun without commitment. However, all that changes when Xander gets under his skin.

Reviewed by Becca

TITLE: Here for You

AUTHOR: K.C. Wells

PUBLISHER: self-published

LENGTH: 199 pages

RELEASE DATE: April 16, 2020

BLURB:

Chris Lomax swore he’d never return to Saugatuck, but nothing could have prevented him from coming home to the small lakeside town, not once he saw the news about the fire – and Hunter, the only person ever to steal his heart. He must make sure Hunter is okay, and service dog Lucy could lend a helping paw.

Firefighter Hunter Drake never expected to see Chris again. He thought he’d lost his best friend for good when Chris jilted Hunter’s sister at the altar. But right now Hunter needs to focus on his recovery. What he doesn’t understand is why Chris came back – and why he won’t leave.

The two men get to reconnect, but spending so much time together leaves Hunter confused and uncertain, especially when Chris reveals he’s both bi and in love with him. Hunter’s not sure what to do about that last part.

What Chris wants is for Hunter to forgive him.

What Hunter needs is to stop living in denial.

Yeah, as if it was ever going to be that easy…

Reviewed by Valerie

TITLE: Beautiful Beast

AUTHOR: Roe Horvat

SERIES: Those Other Books #4

PUBLISHER: Self Published

LENGTH: 167 pages

RELEASE DATE: May 1, 2020

BLURB:

Kevin used to hold himself back, trying to keep his less conventional desires to himself. With Joakim, he feels free. It’s almost as if Joakim can read Kevin’s subconscious, touching the right places at exactly the right time, and whispering the most shameless things…filthy, and oh so satisfying.

Falling for Kevin is easy. Joakim can feel it happening and he’s powerless to do anything about it. With every touch, his desire grows. Men have chased him for his money and status before, but Kevin doesn’t seem to care about any of that. Maybe this time, Joakim should let himself fall, and hope the landing will be soft.

Reviewed by Annika

TITLE: Principles of Spookology

SERIES: The Spectral Files #2

AUTHOR: S.E. Harmon

PUBLISHER: Self-Published

LENGTH: 439 pages

RELEASE DATE: January 14, 2020

BLURB:

Rain Christiansen, former FBI agent and current cold case detective, is starting to think it’s the hardest job he’s ever had—and the most important. He’s determined to accept all the changes in his formerly well-ordered life, but that means embracing a whole lot of weird. There’s no instruction manual for meshing his work with his medium duties, and he’s painfully aware that he’s flubbing the job. So are the ghosts, who are becoming increasingly impatient. And stronger.

To complicate matters, he’s not sure what these spooktacular developments mean for his relationship. It certainly seems like Daniel McKenna, his partner in work and life, is in it for the long haul. But Rain can’t help but wonder how long that patience will last…and what he’ll do if Danny decides the intrusive ghosts are just too much.

Rain thought accepting his supernatural gifts would be the solution to his troubles. But he’s starting to realize his problems are just getting started.

Reviewed by Cheryl

TITLE: Angel End Road

AUTHOR: D.J. Manly

PUBLISHER: eXtasy Books

LENGTH: 139 Pages

RELEASE DATE: April 3, 2020

BLURB:

Freelance journalist Colton West can’t wait to finally end it with the rich and shallow Martin. Their relationship had been a mistake from the beginning. But just when Colton feels that he’s made it clear to Martin it’s over and he can move on with his life and career, he gets a phone call that will change his world forever.

Whitfield, Vermont, is the sleepy little town where Colton grew up, a town he couldn’t wait to leave. It’s also the place where his best high school friend was found murdered years before, left on a road outside town that goes nowhere. The killer was never caught, although a stoic old man named George Hill, who lived with his young grandson in the only house on that road, was considered by many to be the prime suspect and passed away several years later.

But now, another boy has been found dead at the end of that same lonely road, with his body eerily laid out in the same disturbing manner as Colton’s best friend. And this time, the victim is Colton’s fifteen-year-old nephew.

With the original murder suspect deceased, Colton knows the killer of both teenagers is still on the loose, perhaps preparing to strike again, and Colton won’t rest in his investigation until he unearths the whole, ugly truth.

Reviewed by Valerie

TITLE:  Off Plan

AUTHOR:  May Archer

SERIES:  Whispering Key #1

PUBLISHER:  Self-Published

LENGTH:  370 pages

RELEASE DATE:  April 29, 2020

BLURB:

I came to Whispering Key for a job. That was all. To show the world Mason Bloom could be more than a small-town doctor living a medium-sized life.

Private doctor on a swanky island with a posh resort? Check.

But from the moment I set foot on this island, nothing went according to plan.

I didn’t expect to find the resort falling apart.
I didn’t expect the people here to be so charming and crazy and welcoming and real.
I didn’t expect legends about shipwrecks and buried treasure.
And I definitely didn’t expect Fenn Reardon, the island’s incredibly attractive, incredibly infuriating, incredibly male resident tour guide, to become the one person I can’t live without.

Thirty-five’s a bit late for me to realize I’m not straight, though, right? And I have big dreams that won’t fit on Whispering Key, anyway—dreams that do not include tying myself to a tiny island stuck in the past or to a man who refuses to think about the future.

My head’s telling me I have to leave Whispering Key…
My heart’s telling me there might be treasure on this island after all.

Reviewed by Becca

TITLE: A Share in a Secret

SERIES: County Durham Quad #5

AUTHOR: Jude Tresswell

PUBLISHER: self-published

LENGTH: 163 pages

RELEASE DATE: April 18, 2020

BLURB:

Mike, Ross, Raith and Phil are a gay, polyamorous quad who live in County Durham, North-East England. Mike’s nephews visit, and launch the quad into a tale involving inclusivity and investment scams, false arrest, and a desperate attempt to keep a dangerous secret hidden.

Nick Seabrooke is now living and working in the village. Can the quad navigate the complexities of a sexual-asexual relationship? They’d risk their safety for each other. Are they willing to do so for Nick?

This is the fifth County Durham Quad story. As always, background information is included for new readers.

Reviewed by Becca

TITLE: The Less Than Spectacular Times of Henry Milch

SERIES: Wyandot County Mysteries #1

AUTHOR: Marshall Thornton

PUBLISHER: Kenmore Books

LENGTH: 236 pages

RELEASE DATE: April 28, 2020

BLURB:

A new mystery series from the award-winning author of the Boystown and Pinx Mystery series.

Things have not been going well for Henry Milch. After a Saturday night clubbing in his beloved West Hollywood, he took one pill too many and ended up banished to northern lower Michigan to live on a farm with his ultra-conservative grandmother. It was that or rehab.

While working a part-time job for the local land conservancy he stumbles across a dead body in the snow—as if things couldn’t get worse. But then things take a turn for the better, there’s a reward for information leading the man’s killer. All Henry has to do is find the murderer, claim the reward and he can go back to his real life in L.A.

Reviewed by Valerie

TITLE:  First Priority

AUTHOR:  Este Holland

SERIES:  Priorities #1

PUBLISHER:  Self-Published

LENGTH:  183 pages

RELEASE DATE:  October 15, 2019

BLURB:

Adam:
Meeting an A-list movie star like Truman James wasn’t part of my life plan, but neither was temporarily living with my bully of a stepbrother. Being hit on by said celebrity definitely hadn’t been planned. Beating my social anxiety wasn’t going to happen anytime soon, and avoiding the stubborn actor was even harder, so when I was thrust into the spotlight, there was only one thing I could do… Run.

Truman:
From the moment I set eyes on Adam Hendrix, I was enraptured. His sweet demeanor and pretty-boy looks captured my heart from the start, and I refused to let Adam get away. When the paparazzi began to swarm, I did the only thing I could to protect Adam… I whisked him away to a place no one could get to him. I let my guard down and showed Adam the real me. The one only a few people in the world know. But will it be enough to make him stay? Will I be enough to make him happy?

Reviewed by Becca

TITLE: Finding Giorgio

SERIES: Found at Last #1

AUTHOR: Joe Cosentino

PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press

LENGTH: 133 pages

RELEASE DATE: April 21, 2020

BLURB:

When young accountant Theo Stratis visits Nolan Downes, an elderly gay man in a local nursing home, he is surprised by Nolan’s request: find the lost love of his youth, Giorgio Roberto. Theo is also surprised to meet handsome and successful Jamison Radames, who is visiting the same nursing home. As Theo and Jamison embark on an investigative adventure to find Giorgio, they discover a great deal about themselves and each other. Solving the mystery of what happened to Giorgio might mean happily ever after for more than just Nolan.

Reviewed by Anabela

TITLE: Straight as a Wheel: Smoke Valley MC

SERIES: Sex & Mayhem #11

AUTHOR: K.A. Merikan

PUBLISHER: Self Published

LENGTH:  334 pages

RELEASE DATE: November 30, 2019

BLURB:

“Your secret’s safe with me, Leo Heller. Whatever happens here, nobody will know. Ever. Do you understand?”

Zolt. Gay. Player. Predator. Fetish: Straight guys
Leo. Straight. Biker. Prey. Fetish: True love

Zolt knows what he wants from life–cold hard cash so that he can enjoy an early retirement in the Carribean as rent boys serve him drinks on the beach. Meanwhile, he’s got his pawn shop as a front for illegal operations, and a baseball bat to deal with troublemakers.

When it comes to men, Zolt loves the chase, and his favorite, most elusive prey is curious straight guys. He goes out of his way to seduce and devour them. If he can be their first, all the better.

His next mark? A biker. And not just any. An outlaw, Leo Heller.

Leo’s got his future all figured out. A wife, two to four kids, maybe a dog. If love was as easy as others make it seem, Leo would have been married already.

A string of failed relationships leads him to the one person he shouldn’t be crushing on, shouldn’t be admiring, and most definitely shouldn’t be touching. Because a man like Zolt Andorai won’t give Leo the family he wants. Hell, Zolt doesn’t even do boyfriends. But what Zolt does offer is no-strings-attached experimentation, and Leo is only human.

After all, if no one ever finds out Leo’s secret, it’s as if it doesn’t exist.

One kiss leads to another, lines blur, and before Leo knows it, he’s in over his head.

In love.

Helpless.

Reviewed by Becca

TITLE: Hawk and Wolfe: A Life Interrupted

AUTHOR: Edward Kendrick

PUBLISHER: JMS Books LLC

LENGTH: 123 pages

RELEASE DATE: March 14, 2020

BLURB:

Mick Hawk awakens in an alley covered with blood from a head wound, with no memories other than his first name. According to Shorty, the homeless man who found him, he was holding a battered driver’s license, so they go in search of the owner with no luck.

Then a man approaches them on the street. His name is Richard Wolfe, and he claims he and Mick are lovers. After Richard convinces Mick he’s telling the truth, the three men set out to discover who wants Mick dead and why. A difficult task, as Mick has yet to regain his memory.

One suspect is Mick’s older brother, Trenton, who manages one of Mick’s clubs and resents the fact their father gave them to Mick instead of him. Another is the man on the driver’s license, who works for Trenton. Or …? All they have to do is figure it out, before someone tries again to take Mick out of the picture permanently.