Reviewed by True

TITLE: Miami’s Perfect Weekend

AUTHOR: Jamie Craig

PUBLISHER: JMS Books LLC

LENGTH: 61 pages

RELEASE DATE: February 13, 2021

BLURB:

The weekend of the championship game, all football star Tre Griffin wants is to escape Miami and the reminder that he’s not playing. When his flight out of town is delayed, he meets Michael Pappas in the hotel bar. Their attraction is immediate, and when he discovers Michael has no idea who he is, Tre decides to act on it.

One night of no-strings-attached passion stretches into a whole weekend, but with Tre all too visible in the public spotlight, he can’t risk hoping for anything more. A single perfect weekend is all they have. Until Michael discovers the truth. And they both begin to think it could be something more.

Reviewed by Valerie

TITLE:  Not So Sincerely, Yours

SERIES:  For Him #2

AUTHOR:  A.M. Johnson

PUBLISHER: Self Published

LENGTH: 309 Pages

RELEASE DATE:  March 25, 2021

BLURB:

Ethan,
About last night… I could blame the bourbon. I could say I let things get out of hand, that I should have never called you, but I’m done lying to myself—to you. I know what you’re going to say. You’re not very good at keeping your opinions to yourself, but this can’t happen. It’s inappropriate, at best. I’m your boss. Not to mention, you’re clearly still hung up on him. I’m not a consolation prize.

Anders~

**

Anders,
You didn’t think it was inappropriate when you had your tongue down my throat, but I digress. As for your accusation, I’m not the only one stuck in the past, but at least I’m not running from it. I can’t believe I’m about to say this… Maybe you’re right. You shouldn’t have called me. Especially if you never intended to own it. Own that you wanted it to happen. Admit that you wanted me.

Not so sincerely,
Yours

Reviewed by Becca

TITLE: Purgatory Playhouse

SERIES: Magic Emporium #10

AUTHOR: E.J. Russell

PUBLISHER: Reality Optional Press

LENGTH: 185 pages

RELEASE DATE: March 25, 2021

BLURB:

The very last thing out-of-work theater technician TD Baylor should have done was blow his last ten bucks on a crapshoot. He was one couch-surf shy of homeless, for Pete’s sake. But as he was trudging along suburban Boston streets with all his worldly possessions in tow, the sign in the window of an over-the-top Halloween pop-up caught his eye: Marden’s Magic Emporium. With the way his luck was running lately, he figured magic might be the only thing that could fix his life, so… what the hell.

He didn’t realize that hell was an operative word.

Okay, maybe not hell, per se. But what TD thought were some unnecessarily kickass special effects (the three-headed dog guarding the door of the underground theater was a real winner) turn out to be…more.

Because now he’s helping to mount a musical production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream for the Greek pantheon, and there’s more than bad reviews on the line for the performers. A good show could mean redemption for one of them. A bad show…

Yeah, did he mention that part about hell?

Purgatory Playhouse is part of the multi-author Magic Emporium Series. Each book stands alone, but each one features an appearance by Marden’s Magic Emporium, a shop that can appear anywhere, but only once and only when someone’s in dire need. This book contains a desperate theater techie, a production assistant who’s sort of, um, not alive, Greek gods behaving badly, and a guaranteed HEA.

TITLE:  Pinot and Pineapple Lumps

SERIES:  Southern Lights

AUTHOR:  Jay Hogan

PUBLISHER:  Southern Lights Publishing

LENGTH:  359 Pages

RELEASE DATE:  March 18, 2021

BLURB:

Penn from Adelaide. That’s all I knew.

We shared a single kiss over a year ago, and I can still remember every toe-curling second of it. He thought I was too young for him. I thought he was running scared. But that kiss was the first time I’d felt alive in a long time, and I’ve been chasing the feeling ever since—doing my research, a lot of research, a lot of men. Something my protective older brother isn’t too happy about.

I’ve been through more than most guys my age, and I still bear the scars. My head’s not always my best friend, but I’m building a life, PTSD be damned. I can’t turn back the clock, and I’m not sure I want to.

Except maybe to that moment when Penn kissed me. I mean, the odds of us ever meeting again were slim to none, right?

Yeah, about that.

But this time I’m ready. I’m a year older, an ocean of therapy wiser, and I know exactly what I want.

Reviewed by Larissa

TITLE: Show Me

SERIES: Extracurricular Activities Book #3

AUTHOR: Neve Wilder

PUBLISHER: Self-published

RELEASE DATE: March 23, 2021

LENGTH: 284 pages

BLURB:

Two Roommates. One Camera. A whole lot of action.

I get crushes the way some people get seasonal allergies.
And sharing a house with four hot roommates is like being stuck in permanent spring.
Too bad I keep getting friend-zoned.

But it’s senior year now, and I’m done pining for the impossible.
Time to live it up and go out with a bang.
Or a lot of bangs.

That’s why, when Sam asks me for help with a very special, very NSFW project so he can make a little cash, of course I agree. In the name of friendship.

And if it turns out that Sam’s more than just muscles—that he’s sweet, and smart, and a little bit filthy, and a whole lot less straight than I thought—well, that’s neither here nor there, because this time I’m gonna be smart. This time, I’m friend-zoning myself.

We’ve got a list of deliciously hot scenarios, a camera, and Sam’s huge… smile. What could possibly go wrong?

From the author of Want Me comes the third new adult college romance in the Extracurricular Activities series. Expect low angst, high heat, plenty of laughs, a flustered redhead, a gentle giant of a football player, and enough BDE to power a mid-size city.

Reviewed by Larissa

TITLE: Headstrong

SERIES: Vino & Veritas Book #3

AUTHOR: Eden Finley

PUBLISHER: Heart Eyes Press

LENGTH: 260 pages

RELEASE DATE: March 22, 2021

BLURB:

A straight guy gives gay hookup tips to a virgin. What could go wrong?

When I first met Whit, I couldn’t get away from him fast enough. He’s a hockey player, and I hate everything to do with the sport that broke my heart.

But I can’t help feeling sorry for the guy. He’s newly out and desperate to meet someone, but his eagerness seems to scare potential hook-ups away.

Agreeing to be his wingman should’ve been simple. Watching him flirt with other guys made things complicated.

Whit challenges me in every aspect of my life, from my hatred of hockey to the new questions I’m asking myself. Like why a straight man suddenly can’t stop thinking about kissing another guy.

I think the answer lies somewhere on Whit’s lips…

Reviewed by Valerie

TITLE:  Reinventing Cato

SERIES:  Unfinished Business #3

AUTHOR:  Barbara Elsborg

PUBLISHER:  Self-Published

LENGTH:  324 pages

RELEASE DATE:  March 24, 2021

BLURB:

Fate is not always written in the stars…

Being headhunted by NASA might be his ultimate dream, but Cato’s life still sucks. He’s tired of anonymous one-night stands. He’s tired of being lonely. And, frankly, he’s tired of himself. As the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve, he realises the only thing to do if he wants to be happy is to reinvent himself.

Persuaded by his sister to spend New Year’s Eve in Scotland with his parents, Vigge can’t escape the memory of why their family fractured eighteen years ago, and his part in it. He’s channelled the guilt he feels into finding truth and justice for others, but his own life is empty and cold.

A chance encounter at a snowbound airport has Vigge and Cato colliding in more ways than one. Someone seems to have it in for Cato, and as Vigge gets drawn into the mess of Cato’s life, he finds himself falling for the sexy scientist. If only Vigge can make peace with his past and step away from the darkness, they just might have a chance at a future as bright as Cato’s beloved stars.

Reviewed by Valerie

TITLE:  Heartscape

SERIES:  Vino & Veritas #2

AUTHOR:  Garrett Leigh

PUBLISHER:  Heart Eyes Press

LENGTH:  240 pages

RELEASE DATE:  March 22, 2021

BLURB:

I’m not the obvious choice to run Burlington’s coolest wine bar—quiet, brooding, clueless about tannin content, and always one wrong turn away from another downward spiral.

But no one seems to mind that I’m a wreck. Besides me. I just focus on getting through each shift until the night a beautiful stranger appears, looking as lost and damaged as I feel.

When a mutual friend calls in a favor, the sexy newcomer winds up crashing on my couch. I don’t know if it’s his melodic Cornish accent, or his ocean blue eyes, or the rock-hard body with the mysterious scars, but I get the feeling whatever happened to him runs far deeper than those wounds.

Having Jax in my home makes my chest warm. Makes me shiver. Makes me want more. But I’ve got a pile of baggage and I don’t want to be a burden on anyone let alone a man who seems to have enough demons of his own.

Our chemistry is off the charts. His arms feel like home. The last thing I want is to screw this up. Is it wrong to hope we can heal each other? Or will one of us die trying?

HEARTSCAPE is a heartfelt MM friends-to-lovers romance in the True North world, with a brooding bartender, a rugged outdoorsman, sweet angst and lots of Shipley cider. Triggers: contains mentions of depression, suicidal ideation and PTSD recovery.