Reviewed by Larissa

TITLE: The Jock

AUTHOR: Tal Bauer

PUBLISHER: Self-published

LENGTH: 400 pages

RELEASE DATE: April 9, 2021

BLURB:

Wes Van de Hoek clawed his way off his family’s West Texas ranch under the Friday night lights, earning a football scholarship to the state’s best university. Three years in, he has it all: he’s the starting tight end, team captain, and, according to ESPN, maybe the best college football player in the nation. But he’s been keeping a secret from everyone.

Justin Swanscott has three certainties in his life: he’s gay, football is overrated, and he really, really doesn’t like cowboys. He should never have fallen into Wes’s open-range eyes or let his heart run wild when Wes gave him that shy little smile over summer. But he couldn’t stop himself.

Everyone’s asking questions about Wes this season: How is he playing so well? Will Texas be undefeated this year? Will he take the team all the way to the national championship? What’s next for him?

The truth? Wes isn’t dreaming about an NFL contract. His heart belongs to Justin, even though the world wants it to belong to football.

Wes has stadiums packed with screaming fans, ESPN is all over him, and the NFL wants him badly. He’s living under a microscope, and the pressure keeps building as the team keeps winning. Everyone wants something from him, but all Wes wants is to love Justin.

Something’s gotta give.

Reviewed by Kat

TITLE: Dear Daddy, Please Love Me

SERIES: Naughty or Nice Series (Book 1)

AUTHOR: Gianni Holmes

PUBLISHER: Coco Nutz Publishing

LENGTH: 322 pages

RELEASE DATE:  November 27, 2021

BLURB:

Dear Santa,
I know I haven’t exactly been a good boy this year, and I deserve nothing but coal in my stocking

But, unlike some people I know, I don’t wait until the Christmas holiday to bring pleasure to men. That has to count as something nice, right?

I’m tired of being with men who always leave so I’m asking for something a bit different. Something I’m afraid of wanting. Please Santa, help me find a Daddy who will love me.

Cheeky_Bottom 

Down on his luck rancher, Lawson is in no position to be in a relationship when he’s one late mortgage payment away from losing his spread. He definitely should not want the high maintenance stripper Cheeky_Bottom who’s looking for love from a Daddy. Been there. Done that. And he has the debt to show for it.

“Possessions over people” has always been Opie’s mission statement in life. His possessions remain as long as he takes care of them, but people always leave. When he meets a mysterious rancher online, Opie has a feeling things were about to change. Has Opie finally found the Daddy he won’t let walk away this time?

Dear Daddy, Please Love Me is part of the Naughty or Nice multi-author series. Each book can be read as a standalone, but there are so many boys hoping that holiday magic will bring them their perfect Daddy, why not grab them all?

Reviewed by Becca

TITLE: How to Love

SERIES: LOVESTRONG #8

AUTHOR: Susan Hawke

PUBLISHER: self-published

LENGTH: 142 pages

RELEASE DATE: March 18, 2021

BLURB:

Take one hurting guy still recovering from scandal…

Two years ago, Hunter Riley was ghosted by his long-term boyfriend, then stuck with a ruined reputation when the town mistakenly thought he’d cheated on his ex… a man fighting breast cancer. These days, Hunter is happiest simply taking care of the sick kittens he fosters and rarely leaves his house.

Add one sunny man healing from loss…

Quinn Sullivan lost his other half when his twin brother took his own life. He’s found a way to survive his pain by working for a suicide prevention hotline, moving to a new town, and hitting reset on his life. An instant connection on a never-ending blind date has him ready to move in with Hunter and Quinn can’t see anything possibly ruining it.

To equal a pair who find even instalove requires time and patience.

Life can always catch you off guard, as Quinn discovers when child services arrive with an adorable angel—a piece of his twin he didn’t even know was out there—needing a family, needing… him. While Quinn is floundering with his parenting role, Hunter is left thinking he’s been ghosted again until Quinn comes up for air and sets things straight.

Can two guys who fell together so easily have what it takes to build a family?

This is the eighth and final book in the LOVESTRONG series about finding love and being yourself in a small town. Watch out for a three-year-old with an addiction to daytime TV, a diabetic kitten, and the worst wedding interruption ever. This is an mm romance full of all the fun, laughter, and sweet feels you’d want from an S. Hawke book.

Reviewed by Valerie

TITLE: The Mastermind

SERIES: The Long Con Adventures #1

AUTHOR: Amy Lane

PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press

LENGTH: 266 pages

RELEASE DATE: April 10, 2021

BLURB:

Once upon a time in Rome, Felix Salinger got caught picking his first pocket and Danny Mitchell saved his bacon. The two of them were inseparable… until they weren’t.

Twenty years after that first meeting, Danny returns to Chicago, the city he shared with Felix and their perfect, secret family, to save him again. Felix’s news network—the business that broke them apart—is under fire from an unscrupulous employee pointing the finger at Felix. An official investigation could topple their house of cards. The only way to prove Felix is innocent is to pull off their biggest con yet.

But though Felix still has the gift of grift, his reunion with Danny is bittersweet. Their ten-year separation left holes in their hearts that no amount of stolen property can fill. A green crew of young thieves looks to them for guidance as they negotiate old jewels and new threats to pull off the perfect heist—but the hardest job is proving that love is the only thing of value they’ve ever had.

Reviewed by Kat

TITLE: Let Me Remind You

SERIES: A Love Permit Novel (book #3)

AUTHOR: Gianni Holmes

PUBLISHER: Coco Nutz Publishing

LENGTH: 299 pages

RELEASE DATE: April 20, 2021

BLURB:

What happens when a man you can’t remember has more memories of you than you have of yourself? Clay’s football career is brought to a halt after losing his memory in an accident. When he moves back to San Diego, he hopes familiar surroundings will bring back his memory. He doesn’t expect to be slapped in the street by the most interesting guy he’s never met before. Or has he? Why else can’t he get the image of the high-heel-wearing guy who owns the queer lingerie shop from his mind?

After years of a secret relationship with Clay, Jeremy called it quits. But when he told Clay to forget about him and move on, he never counted on that actually happening. Now two years following their breakup, Clay’s family wants Jeremy to help fill in the gaps in his memories. Will Jeremy be able to handle poking around old wounds? Or will revisiting these memories remind them of all the fun times they had and how much they are still in love?

Let Me Remind You is a new book in the Love Permit series and can be read as a standalone. It is low angst with intense moments and features an MC who’s fabulously fem without apology. Expect lace, sweet walks down memory lane, and falling in love all over again.

Reviewed by Danielle

TITLE: No Surrender

SERIES: No Regrets #1

AUTHOR: Nora Phoenix

PUBLISHER: Self Published

LENGTH: 352 Pages

RELEASE DATE: April 18, 2021

BLURB:

No matter what he feels for Wander, he’ll never surrender to him.

I’m in control of my life. That has become Burke’s mantra. He lost control somewhere along the way, descending into a downward spiral until he hit rock bottom. Now he’s back, sober, and determined to never be in that position again. Ever.

That’s why he loves being a dominant. He’s in charge. He can plan everything into detail. He’s in control.

Until he runs into Wander, a private security guy who volunteers to become Burke’s mentor in the club. Wander questions him, challenges him, pushes and prods and pokes until Burke stands with his back against the wall.

But he refuses to surrender, even when Wander evokes feelings in Burke he’s never experienced before. Apparently, he’s not quite as straight as he thought. Whatever. That still doesn’t mean he’ll give in…or that he’ll kneel.

No Surrender is an MM romance featuring a proud, stubborn man who’s hurting and an equally bull-headed man who won’t stop until he’s discovered the truth. It’s the first book in the high heat No Regrets series, a spin off from the No Shame series that can be read on its own, and has a suspense sub plot without cliffhangers. Please check the trigger warnings in the front of the book.

Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  His Haven

SERIES:  His #3

AUTHOR:  Con Riley

PUBLISHER:  Self-published

LENGTH:    322 pages

RELEASE DATE:  April 21, 2021

BLURB:

Once jilted, twice shy…

Keir Brodie is a lawyer with good reason for his trust issues. A year after his groom didn’t show up at their wedding, he’s still heartsore and hurting. Work has been his saviour, but a new project sets alarm bells ringing — his favourite client wants to buy a house for someone Keir thinks is a liar.

Mitch’s nice-guy act doesn’t fool Keir, and he can’t let sparks flying when they’re together distract him. That’s just the flare of opposites attracting, not the lifelong connection he misses. Besides, no amount of passion is worth risking his heart, especially with someone only down for onetime hook-ups.

Their shared project chips away at Keir’s first impressions. As the truth, and Keir, unravel, Mitch pieces him back together in ways Keir couldn’t have predicted. Trusting Mitch with more than his client’s money will take a leap of faith, in himself, and in a man Keir hopes won’t leave him waiting.

♥ Featuring opposites who attract, and passion in close proximity, His Haven is the third shared-world novel in the His Contemporary MM Romance series. Featuring a different couple each time, these books can be read alone, or enjoyed together. ♥

Reviewed by Cheryl K

TITLE: Sweet Haven

AUTHOR: JP Sayle

PUBLISHER: Self Published

LENGTH: 158 pages

RELEASE DATE: March 31, 2021

BLURB:

A grumpy chef, a klutz, an ad for an assistant and a sister who has no boundaries. Are these the perfect ingredients for love?

Confectionery chef, Garrett Weston returns to his hometown to lick his wounds after his marriage fails. His sister encourages him to open a confectionery store, but then throws a spanner in the works leaving him in need of a new assistant.

Leeson Cole moves to Sweet Haven to escape past mistakes. He’s been saving every cent he has to fulfil a lifelong ambition of working in the confectionery business. The job at Sweet Haven’s store seems like a dream come true. All Leeson needs to do is hope his klutzy behavior doesn’t ruin things for him before he has a chance to prove he’s got what it takes. Easy.

Sweet Haven is a steamy standalone, opposites attract MM romance, with a grumpy bear and a not so delicate flower who can create chaos out of nothing, finding their HEA.

Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  Bad Boy

SERIES:  Masters of Romance #1

AUTHOR:  Emma Alcott

PUBLISHER:  Self-published

LENGTH:  408 pages

RELEASE DATE:  April 29, 2021

BLURB:

Russ
They call me a bad boy, and thirteen years ago they would have been right.
I’ve done things I’m not proud of.
Served time.
Broken hearts and bones alike.
But I’m a changed man now. I don’t break the law for a living anymore; I write books about guys like me who fall in love with other guys. It’s as close to a happily ever after as I think I’ll get…
Until Colton shows up in my remote cabin in the middle of a snowstorm, so timid and young and sweet.
I’ve given up my wicked ways, but damn if he doesn’t make me want to do bad, bad things…

Colton
I didn’t mean to get lost on my way to the big New Year’s Eve party, and I definitely didn’t mean to drive my car into a snowbank, but here I am in the middle of nowhere, stranded in front of a creepy cabin, about to freeze to death.
The only way I’ll make it through the night is if I go inside, but there’s no telling who might be in there. It very well could be a serial killer, or a horror movie monster…
Or a bearded, tattooed bad boy with a big secret who’ll steal my heart and make me never want to leave.

Bad Boy is the first book in the Masters of Romance series, where romance authors don’t just write about happily ever afters—they live them. Get ready for love, laughter, and some serious steam. No cheating and no love triangles, guaranteed. Bad Boy can be read as a stand-alone, but it’s way more fun to binge them all. Which author are you most excited to see get his HEA?

Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE: A Friend in the Fire

SERIES:  An Auden & O’Callaghan Mystery

AUTHORS:  Gregory Ashe and C.S. Poe

PUBLISHER:  Emporium Press

LENGTH:  270 pages

RELEASE DATE:  April 29, 2021

BLURB:

After solving the mystery behind the death of his former friend in July, ex-Army Sam Auden has been aimlessly wandering the country. Everything had gone sideways in New York City, so when his phone rings three months later, the caller is the last person Sam expected to be asking for help.

Confidential informant Rufus O’Callaghan has been struggling. His NYPD contact was murdered over the summer, and the man Rufus is head over heels for was driven away by his own undiagnosed trauma. But when he receives an anonymous letter that promises information on his mother, life goes from dark to dangerous in the blink of an eye.

Sam and Rufus must dig into Rufus’s rough and turbulent past in order to solve a series of contemporary murders connected to his mother. And if the two can’t expose who the killer is in time, they will most certainly become his next targets.

Reviewed by Becca

TITLE: A Very Armitage Christmas

SERIES: Mismatched Mates #3

AUTHOR: Eliot Grayson

PUBLISHER: Smoking Teacup Books

LENGTH: 70 pages

RELEASE DATE: December 10, 2020

BLURB:

’Tis the season…for zombies?

It’s two days before Christmas, and the Armitage pack’s getting ready for the holiday. Nate’s decorating the driveway with dozens of light-up candy canes (well, bullying Ian into doing it for him, but details). Matthew’s sitting through yet another endless pack council meeting.

And Arik’s raising revenants in the herb garden.

When a plague of zombies and an infestation of in-laws hits on Christmas Eve, Nate, Ian, Arik and Matthew will need to pick up their machetes, put some Bing Crosby on the record player, and overcome their relationship issues if they want to make it to Christmas morning.

This book follows the same characters and refers to the events of The Alpha’s Warlock and Captive Mate, and really should be read in series. Warning: Contains a modified inflatable Santa, a snowblower put to a really unusual purpose…and knotting. Because of course it does!

Reviewed by True

TITLE: The Hate Project

SERIES: The Love Study #2

AUTHOR: Kris Ripper

PUBLISHER: Carina Adores

LENGTH: 352 pages

RELEASE DATE: April 27, 2021

BLURB:

This arrangement is either exactly what they need–or a total disaster

Oscar is a grouch.

That’s a well-established fact among his tight-knit friend group, and they love him anyway.

Jack is an ass.

Jack, who’s always ready with a sly insult, who can’t have a conversation without arguing, and who Oscar may or may not have hooked up with on a strict no-commitment, one-time-only basis. Even if it was extremely hot.

Together, they’re a bickering, combative mess.

When Oscar is fired (answering phones is not for the anxiety-ridden), he somehow ends up working for Jack. Maybe while cleaning out Jack’s grandmother’s house they can stop fighting long enough to turn a one-night stand into a frenemies-with-benefits situation.

The house is an archaeological dig of love and dysfunction, and while Oscar thought he was prepared, he wasn’t. It’s impossible to delve so deeply into someone’s past without coming to understand them at least a little, but Oscar has boundaries for a reason—even if sometimes Jack makes him want to break them all down.

After all, hating Jack is less of a risk than loving him…

Reviewed by Stephen K.

TITLE: First Impressions

AUTHOR:  C. Koehler

PUBLISHER: NineStar Press

LENGTH: 333 pages

RELEASE DATE: March 29, 2021

BLURB:

When Henry Hughes and Cameron Jameson meet for the first time at a Coming Out Day party, it’s anything but love at first sight. In fact, it’s an unmitigated disaster, despite a scorching physical attraction.

Henry, whose social anxiety gets the better of him, humiliates Cameron, and when Cameron finds out about Henry’s past in adult films, he assumes he dodged a disease-covered bullet. Yet as Henry runs into Cameron again and again, he realizes he might have misjudged the younger man. He also realizes that Cameron won’t let go of his own initial view and thinks Henry is an unmitigated ass. First impressions are lasting impressions, and Cameron seems to misinterpret all of Henry’s words and deeds.

It’s not until Henry confronts Cameron that Cameron realizes just how wrong he’s been, but he thinks he’s lost his chance. Yet when disaster strikes Cameron and his friends, Henry rides to the rescue. Will Cameron be able to put aside his pride and shame to accept Henry’s help and his heart?