Reviewed by Sadonna and Kat

TITLE:  Not For Sale

AUTHOR:  Crystal Lacy

PUBLISHER:   Self-published

LENGTH: 88,000 words

RELEASE DATE:  July 29. 2021

BLURB:

Mistaken for an escort by his student’s guardian …

Jace wants to prove to himself that he can be adventurous. Which is why he’s using one of those apps for the first time ever. And the gorgeous guy who just showed up is enough to make Jace let go of all his inhibitions.

Nothing is more important to Theo than being there for his orphaned nephew, even if it means staying in the closet. Luckily, Theo can afford a discreet escort service whenever he needs to scratch that itch. Except this latest escort is … not at all what he expected.

A case of mistaken identity results in one scorching night neither man can forget. When they meet again, it’s impossible not to want more—but being together means risking Jace’s career and Theo’s relationship with his family. Can Jace and Theo keep their distance?

Not For Sale is a steamy 88,000 word billionaire romance featuring teacher/parent dynamics, light rent-boy role play, and a swoony HEA sure to leave you smiling.

Reviewed by Larissa

TITLE: Captured

SERIES: Star Marked Warriors Book 1

AUTHOR: Sam Burns and W.M. Fawkes

PUBLISHER: Self-published

LENGTH: 3423Kb

RELEASE DATE: July 29, 2021

BLURB:

An alien prince, a threatened throne, and the human mate who can help him save it…

Lucas: Sure, my life isn’t going exactly according to plan—I have a degree that led nowhere, a crappy job as a closing-shift barista, and an ex who has everything I want and got it . . . by dumping my sorry ass—but that doesn’t mean I’m willing to give up on living yet! And holy crap, when I’m plucked off the sidewalk of my rural Colorado town on the very night of my ex’s wedding, I’m pretty damn sure I’m about to lose my life and a whole lot more.

If you’ve never tried flying, I do not recommend the first time be when you’re drunk and alone at two in the morning. But there I was, dumped in a cage on a spacecraft, surrounded by barbarous, giant blue aliens. And the only thing that might keep me safe is there’s one huge, intimidating warrior who can’t keep his eyes off me.

Kaelum: I am the true-born son of the King Xyren the Imperator, but as a Thorzi-human hybrid, my path to the throne of Thorzan is far from clear. My father’s people are enormous and foreboding, their skin is the deep dark of twilight when our planet’s twin stars set. I am not. My enemies think I am small, soft, incapable, and they dog my every step.

If I am to take my rightful place, I must focus on saving my people. But my mother was born on a far-away blue planet called Earth. In my bones, I know the answer to my problems hides out there beyond the stars.

By popular cowriting duo Sam Burns & W.M. Fawkes, Captured is an M/M SciFi alien romance with a warrior prince, a resourceful human at the end of his rope, an intergalactic war that could keep them apart forever, and true love that’s entirely out of this world! This book is first in the Star Marked Warriors series, but each book can be read as standalone.

Reviewed by Becca

TITLE: Resurrection

SERIES: Pillars of Magic: Dark Awakening #1

AUTHOR: Lissa Kasey

PUBLISHER: Layer Kake Publishing

LENGTH: 285 pages

RELEASE DATE: July 18, 2021

BLURB:

Someone is raising the dead from their graves, including an old vampire lover.

When a golem shows up on campus, Seiran searches for a way to unravel it and find its creator. But it is animated with vampire souls and the golem may not be the only one. When he realizes a necromancer is raising the undead from their slumber, Seiran finds himself face to face with a lover he thought long gone.

Gabe went to ground over a decade ago to silence the revenant gaining foothold inside of him. When he is yanked from the earth, his memory a mess of shattered fragments, he finds himself bound to a very powerful witch he doesn’t remember. And someone is trying to use his power to summon the dead.

An army of the dead awakens, and Seiran and Gabe are the only thing standing in the way of a shift in global power. Can they rise to the change or will they become the next victims?

Reviewed by Kat

TITLE: Trust with a Chaser

SERIES: Rainbow Cove (book 1)

AUTHOR: Annabeth Albert

PUBLISHER: Self Published

LENGTH: 280 pages

RELEASE DATE: August 1, 2017

BLURB:

One hot cop. One bar owner out for redemption. One smoking-hot summer fling destined to leave scorch marks…

Mason Hanks has returned to Rainbow Cove, Oregon with one goal in mind: turn the struggling coastal community into a thriving LGBTQ tourism destination. Step one is transforming an old bar and grill into a gay-friendly eatery. Step two? Don’t piss off Nash Flint, the very hot, very stern chief of police who’s not so sure he’s on board with Mason’s big plans.

Nash Flint just wants to keep his community safe and enjoy the occasional burger in peace. He’s not big on change nor is he a fan of Mason’s troublemaking family, especially his rowdy older brothers. But Mason slowly wins him over with fantastic cooking and the sort of friendship Nash has been starving for.

When their unlikely friendship takes a turn for the sexy, both men try to steer clear of trouble. Nash believes he’s too set in his ways for Mason, and Mason worries that his family’s reputation will ruin any future with Nash. Burning up the sheets in secret is a surefire way to crash and burn, and discovery forces a heart-wrenching decision—is love worth the risk of losing everything?

Trust with a Chaser is a 75,000 word stand-alone gay romance with a May/December theme, a hot law-enforcement hero, opposites attract, plenty of sexy times, and one hard-fought, guaranteed happy ending with no cliffhangers. 

Reviewed by Taylin

TITLE: Commitment Issues

SERIES: Silver Foxes MM Romance #1

AUTHOR: Ali Ryecart

PUBLISHER: Self-Published

LENGTH: 392 pages

RELEASE DATE: March 9, 2021

BLURB:

From fake date to friends with benefits, commitment’s not an issue

Elliot
Freddie’s way too young. I’m twice his age and old enough to be his father. He’s an adorable mix of sexy, smart, sassy, shy and sweet. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to be forced into taking him as my fake date to my oldest friend’s wedding, just because my cheating ex will be there.

Freddie
Elliot’s everything I want in a man, he’s my ultimate silver fox fantasy. But I’ve had my heart ripped out by an older guy before, and I’ve vowed it’ll never happen again. So why have I let myself be talked into posing as Elliot’s arm candy at a posh wedding?

From fake date to friends with benefits, commitment’s not part of the deal. So where does falling in love fit in?

◆◆◆Commitment Issues is a May-December MM romance. Expect to find plenty of snark, a touch of angst, friends who think they know best, slow burn sexual tension leading to high heat. And a scruffy mutt of a dog. HEA guaranteed◆◆◆

Reviewed by Valerie 

TITLE:  Kept Man

SERIES:  First and Forever Stories #2

AUTHOR:  Alexa Land

PUBLISHER:  Self-Published

LENGTH:  unknown

RELEASE DATE:  July 28, 2021

BLURB:

Micah is a has-been rock star under house arrest, who’s managed to push away everyone he’s ever cared about.

Jasper is the sweet, beautiful escort Micah hires to share his home—and his bed—for the next six months.

The heat between them is undeniable. But can two very different men learn to trust and build something real, before the six months are up and life pulls them in opposite directions?

This low-angst, opposites attract gay romance is set in the world of Alexa Land’s Firsts and Forever Series, and it can be read as a stand-alone.

Reviewed by Taylin

TITLE: Take My Breath Away

SERIES: Silver Foxes MM Romance Series #2

AUTHOR: Ali Ryecart

PUBLISHER: Self Published

LENGTH: Approx. 395 pages

RELEASE DATE: July 29, 2021

BLURB:

Rescuing a beautiful boy wasn’t supposed to be on my Friday night To Do list…

James
Perry’s my oldest friend’s young, sweet as sugar, totally adorable Executive Assistant, so when I find him slumped over a table, blind drunk and alone in the corner of a bar, not rescuing him isn’t an option. I can give him everything he needs to help him become the man he wants to be. But there’s one thing I can’t give him, and they’re the promises I always break.

Perry
James came to my rescue when I needed him most, but any secret fantasy the sexy silver fox with the come to bed eyes could be my Knight in Shining Armour is only good for fairy tales. James lives his life free of ties and commitments, whereas all I want is to commit to being entangled.

♥♥♥Take My Breath Away is a slow burn, sweet with heat age gap MM romance. Expect forced proximity, a touch of angst, a secret crush, plenty of snark – and adventures with a farting dog.♥♥♥

Reviewed by Kat

TITLE: Tender with a Twist

SERIES: Rainbow Cove (Book 2)

AUTHOR: Annabeth Albert

PUBLISHER: Self Published

LENGTH: 288 pages

RELEASE DATE: October 2, 2017

BLURB:

One kinky wood carver. One younger chef looking to try new things. A series of lessons that bring both men more than they bargained for…

Curtis Hunt has made a name for himself as a chainsaw wood carver, winning national competitions and operating a small business in Rainbow Cove, Oregon. As winter whittles away his tourist traffic, his goal is just to survive the season and try to not get lost in grief for his dead lover. It’s been two years, but he’s sure he’ll never be over the love of a lifetime. However, his body has a certain restlessness that he doesn’t quite know how to calm.

Logan Rosner knows a thing or two about restlessness. It’s what drove him to Rainbow Cove to be a chef at a bar and grill run by his friends. And it’s what drives him to a single sizzling encounter with the local legendary lumberjack. Both men get far more than they expected and learn that first impressions aren’t always accurate…

But when Logan proposes a series of sexy lessons, Curtis must decide how much he’s willing to risk. He knows he can’t afford to get attached to Logan’s good cooking, his easy smiles, or his caretaking, but he keeps going back for more, even as deeper emotions become involved. Soon, Curtis must decide whether to risk his heart again or risk losing Logan for good.

Tender with a Twist is a 75,000 word stand-alone gay romance with a May/December theme, featuring a second chance at love, opposites attract, loads of sexy times with mild BDSM elements, and one emotionally-charged, guaranteed happy ending with no cliffhangers.

Reviewed by Stephen K

TITLE: Cowboy Logic

AUTHOR: B.A. Tortuga

PUBLISHER: Turtlehat Creatives

LENGTH: 278 Pages

RELEASE DATE: July 27

BLURB:

When Anderson “Logic” Whitehead gets a call from his sister that she’s in a dangerous situation, he leaves his California home to head back to Texas for the first time since high school. He’s a different man now, a well-known author and creator, as well as out and proud, so he’s not about to let anyone intimidate him, whether his sister’s stalker or an old nemesis from his bad old days.

Cowboy Jericho Yeager has his land, his kids, and a lot of conflicting emotions about his hometown. When his neighbor Bailey starts having trouble with what his daughter calls a “bad man” Jericho mounts up to help, but he doesn’t find a stalker, he finds Logic, who used to be a skinny, pimply kid. Now Logic is everything Jericho could ever want, but he knows he can’t just grasp the brass ring.

Guys like Logic don’t fall for men like Jericho, and relationships that begin under high stress never last. At least that’s what Jericho tells himself. Logic is used to going after what he wants, so he’s wiling to ask Jericho to give him a try, but even he’s not sure he can get past all of their history with each other, and with their deep East Texas hometown.

Reviewed by Valerie

TITLE: The Muscle

SERIES: The Long Con Adventures #2

AUTHOR: Amy Lane

PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press

LENGTH: 292 pages

RELEASE DATE: July 27, 2021

BLURB:

A true protector will guard your heart before his own.

Hunter Rutledge saw one too many people die in his life as mercenary muscle to go back to the job, so he was conveniently at loose ends when Josh Salinger offered him a place in his altruistic den of thieves.

Hunter is almost content having found a home with a group of people who want justice badly enough to steal it. If only one of them didn’t keep stealing his attention from the task at hand….

Superlative dancer and transcendent thief Dylan “Grace” Li lives in the moment. But when mobsters blackmail the people who gave him dance—and the means to save his own soul—Grace turns to Josh for help.

Unfortunately, working with Josh’s crew means working with Hunter Rutledge, and for Grace, that’s more dangerous than any heist.

Grace’s childhood left him thinking he was too difficult to love—so he’s better off not risking his love on anyone else. Avoiding commitment keeps him safe. But somehow Hunter’s solid, grounding presence makes him feel safer. Can Grace trust that letting down his guard to a former mercenary doesn’t mean he’ll get shot in the heart?

Reviewed by True

TITLE: C is for Comfort

SERIES: The Alphabet of Desire #3

AUTHOR: Colette Davison

PUBLISHER: Self-Published

LENGTH: 1375 kB

RELEASE DATE: July 27, 2021

BLURB:

A single dad, a doctor, and a one-night-stand. Is there room in their lives and hearts for one another?

Corey
Stress is my middle name. I’m a single dad and a newly qualified teacher, so it’s hard to find time for myself. What I didn’t expect from an adult party is a man who allows me to relax fully. What starts as a hook-up becomes so much more, but is a ready made family a step too far for Spence?

Spence
Working crazy shifts at the hospital, I don’t have much time for romance. Meeting Corey, the beautiful boy who’s happy to call me Daddy, changes everything. Only it’s not just his heart I have to win over but his five-year-old daughter’s too. How hard can it be?

C is for Comfort the story of two men learning that life is about more than work and that cuddling can fix everything. It’s the third of three steamy, low angst novels, which follow each of the ABC triplets as they find love. You can read Archie and Blake’s stories in A is for Aftercare and B is for Beg.

Reviewed by Kat

TITLE: Hacker Lawry

SERIES: Lonely Heroes (book #4)

AUTHOR: Sam E. Kraemer

PUBLISHER: Kaye Klub Publishing

LENGTH: 86k

RELEASE DATE: July 23, 2021

BLURB:

Lawrence ‘Lawry’ Schatz

Heartbroken? Check. Unemployed? Check. Homeless? Check. Self-medicating? As often as possible.

My life was upended with a two-word text, and a meeting with my boss’s boss nearly finished me off. I fell into a downward spiral with no intention of pulling out, but my brother, Hank, had other ideas. He called in a big gun, Gabriele Torrente, who dragged me to New York and pushed me to get myself together.

At a family event, I hooked up with the hottest guy I’d ever met, intending to relieve some tension, but he turned out to be more than I imagined. He was sassy, opinionated, and he completely set me on my ear. Maxim Partee wouldn’t put up with my crap, but after I made a huge mistake, he still agreed to be my friend, which was precisely what I needed. I couldn’t envision he might need me in return.

#

Maxim ‘Maxi’ Partee

Sexy? Check. Successful? Check. Lonely? Very much so. Power bottom? You bet your…bottom.

I had a successful business…two of them as a matter of fact. I had friends I cherished, and I loved my life, telling myself it would be more than enough for me. I chose the men I spent time with, and it was always on my terms. An unfortunate hook-up at a birthday party led me down a path I didn’t expect, but I met a nice, misguided man from whom I couldn’t easily walk away.

The journey he needed to traverse might leave me alone, but I supported his need to do it. Where would it leave me? No idea.

Please Note: This book contains material which may be offensive to some readers. It includes graphic language, violence, adult situations, and descriptions of sexual activity between two, consenting adult males. This fictional story is intended for adults over 18 and is approximately 86,000 words in length. It is the fourth book in “The Lonely Heroes Series,” but it can be read as a stand-alone book. I hope you enjoy it.

Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  Absolution

AUTHOR:  E.M. Lindsey

PUBLISHER:  Self-published

LENGTH:  198 pages

RELEASE DATE:  July 19, 2021

BLURB:

“I’m madly, irrevocably in love with a man I met on the streets one night, and if I get a second chance, I plan to make sure I spend every day reminding him just how absolutely loved and cherished he is.”

By the time he turned twenty-nine, Alexei Gurgov has managed to put his dark past behind him. Running a bookshop and living a quiet life in London, he has very few expectations. He may be lonely, but alone means nothing can hurt him. Alone means there’s no one in his life to abandon him.

Then one night, he’s mugged in an alley, and his life is irrevocably changed.

Instead of going to the police, Alexei tracks down the mugger and learns he’s merely a starving man trying to get by. Offering him a job and a place to stay, Alexei is determined to help make it right. After all, he knows better than anyone what it’s like to struggle.

The one thing he doesn’t expect, however, is to fall for his sudden flatmate, even if it seems like August his hiding something from his past.

When all the chips fall, will this be his own version of a storybook romance, or are they star-crossed lovers, determined to burn bright and fall apart?

***

Absolution is the re-release of a book published in 2016. Additional words have been added lengthening the story to 30% longer than the original, but the plot and conclusion remain the same.

Reviewed by Larissa

TITLE:  The Ranch Hand and the Single Dad

SERIES:  Farthingdale Ranch Book 3

AUTHOR:  Jackie North

PUBLISHER:  Blue Rain Press

LENGTH:  3948 KB

RELEASE DATE:  July 27, 2021

BLURB:

“If Austin has forgotten what love is, maybe Clay can show him the way.”

Happy-go-lucky Clay keeps busy with hookups at the local bar after working hard at the ranch. Those hookups used to be fun, but now they leave him empty.

Austin is reeling after a difficult divorce. His wife took everything, including full custody of his daughter, Bea, who is only nine.

Austin doesn’t know where his life is headed, but at least he’s got a roof over his head, and a new job as accountant at Farthingdale Ranch.

The job is exactly the kind of work he loves. The only problem is he’s distracted by Clay, who is gay. Austin is straight. There’s no way this can work.

A gay m/m cowboy romance with age gap, hurt/comfort, opposites attract, single dad, out for you, midnight rendezvous, friendship between men. A little sweet, a little steamy, with a guaranteed HEA.

Reviewed by Valerie

TITLE: Royally Indebted

SERIES: Royalty to Riches Trilogy #1

AUTHOR: M.J. Calabrese

PUBLISHER: Self Published

LENGTH: 200 pages

RELEASE DATE: June 29, 2021

BLURB:

Eric Tinsley, the unexpected new Lord Gossett, has inherited a mess. He was never meant to be Lord of the manor, since he was the ‘spare’, but is forced into the role upon the deaths of his father and brother.

Little does he know that the title comes with a mound of debt that he cannot afford to pay.

Enter Robert Bennett, American Billionaire. Robert has tried multiple ways to move up in society, but even his billions can’t crack the royal elite. But where there’s a will, there’s a way, and Robert finds that way with Eric, Lord Gossett.

Married under a ten-year contract that outlines every aspect of their relationship, they soon find themselves questioning everything.

Reviewed by Larissa

TITLE: The Resort

SERIES: Room for 3 Book 1

AUTHOR: Ana Ashley

PUBLISHER: Self-published

LENGTH: 406 pages

RELEASE DATE: July 16, 2021

BLURB:

A hotel room. Three men. One unforgettable encounter.

Jake

I had a plan. Graduate from my MA and work for my uncle’s resort.
The plan didn’t include hooking up with two guests, a hot older guy with stormy blue eyes, and his much younger, but equally sexy, husband.

After the most incredible experience of my life, I ran.
But you know, as they say, life has a way of catching up with you.

Now, Mal is my boss at the resort, and fighting my attraction to him and Griff becomes harder and harder…pun very much intended.
As we give in to the attraction between us, navigate the conflict of interest, and our growing feelings for each other, all that’s left to figure out is…will there be room for three?

The Resort is a standalone contemporary MMM romance that features an age gap, cute bunnies, and three men who can’t help falling in love. This is the first book in the Room for 3 series.

Reviewed by Kat

TITLE: Sounding Off

SERIES: Air B&D (book 3)

AUTHOR: Olivia Joy

PUBLISHER: Tygerseye Publishing, LLC.

LENGTH: 74 pages

RELEASE DATE: April 30, 2021

BLURB:

Redding Hanson, a rancher and a former rodeo cowboy, has received a mysterious invitation (with a big price tag attached) to visit the AirB&D for a few days. He’s expecting a little fun, maybe a couple of hot nights and some sweet memories to take back home. What Red is not expecting is his ex-lover, Kevin Morgan, the man that dumped him a few years ago just for being honest. And Red is not happy.

Kevin, a traveling freelance photographer, paid a pretty penny for a steamy long weekend with a man that is ready to experiment a little. He’s looking forward to someone fun and curious, and to not having to explain or justify his desires. So he’s beyond furious to find himself paired with Red, the very man that shamed him long ago for the things he wanted.

This time the matchmaker has knowingly opened a can of gasoline and handed his guests a book of matches. Will being together again start a lasting fire between Red and Kevin, or will they burn the gorgeous vacation home to the ground?

Reviewed by True

TITLE: Dark Summer

SERIES: Sequel to Blood Winter

AUTHOR: S.J. Coles

PUBLISHER: Pride Publishing

LENGTH: 204 pages

RELEASE DATE: July 27, 2021

BLURB:

Is a human lifetime long enough to learn to love a vampire?

The tumultuous events of the Blood Winter are a fading nightmare, and Alec and Terje are trying to build a life together at Alec’s newly restored ancestral home of Glenroe. There’s just one problem… Terje doesn’t appear to be committed—constantly called away on mysterious errands and seemingly unable to forsake his own kind. Alec begins to wonder if Terje is capable of loving anyone, let alone him.

When an old uni friend Jay Singh, recently out of the closet and looking rather too good to be true, returns to Alec’s life, he becomes more conflicted than ever. Things only escalate when Alec is forced into the social and political issues still surrounding the haemophiles’ tumultuous integration into human society and soon it is more than just his relationship on the line.

Can Alec figure out what kind of future is possible with a vampire—and if it can ever be enough for either of them—before it’s too late?

Publisher’s Note: This story is best read as a sequel to Blood Winter.

Reviewed by Stephen K

TITLE: Hide Your Love Away

SERIES: If I Fell #1

AUTHOR: Mia Kerick

PUBLISHER: Self Published

LENGTH: 221 pages

RELEASE DATE: July 26^th , 2021

BLURB:

Too young.
Too damaged.
Too close to Cole’s enormous secret for comfort.

Rough and tumble Edgewater University maintenance man Colton Ledger should keep his distance from the sleek and snarky college junior who has caught his attention. After all, Timmy is half his age, not to mention that Cole has a secret life he can’t afford to reveal. So why is he compelled to undermine the young man’s cocky game and lure him into his private life?

As the product of an unwanted late-life pregnancy, Timmy Hale has been emotionally shattered by a loveless upbringing. After years of desperate attempts to garner attention from his apathetic parents fail, young adult Timmy changes course. He hides his feelings of vulnerability behind meaningless sex, endless partying, and a big, bad attitude. Until Cole comes along…

When trouble finds Timmy in the form of a dangerous and relentless stalker, Cole must decide if Timmy is worth the risk of coming clean about the confidence he’s obliged to keep, as Timmy weighs the potential havoc falling in love could wreak on his heart.

Hide Your Love Away is Book One in the IF I FELL Series.