Review: Orion’s Way by D.C. Juris

Orion is a vampire with a tragic past. After running away from abusive parents at the tender age of sixteen, he was turned by a ruthless elder vampire and forced to torture and sexually abuse human feeders and submissive vampires. Though that's all behind him now, he still lives in the shadow of what he was, and it's cost him the loyalty of Xavier, the human feeder he loves. Malagan is Orion's closest friend--the vampire who saved him from brutality all those years ago. Malagan knows the dominant side of Orion--the side Xavier needs--is still there, lurking below the surface. But if Orion's going to find his way back to who he ought to be, he'll need help. And Malagan is just the man for the job.

Previously published by Breathless Press.







More a tease than anything, this short story takes place in a nest of vampires and their human feeders. The world building was just enough to grasp the idea, in a way that allowed the story to flow. Not overly complex, or layered, it was general, and gave the impression of an insular group, with hierarchy and order.

Orion’s backstory is not really explained in a way that would be identifiable if not for the blurb. The reader knows there is damage, and a brief reason why, but it is not the whole picture and I felt that it was a little lacking.

Told from Malagan’s point of view, this is an outsider view of what is going on between Orion and Xavier, and why they are not together. With Malagan’s help directed towards Orion, I’m not sure I buy the storyline without some further convincing.

The BDSM scene and how it was brought up was somewhat believable, and there was heat, but I didn’t feel like I really got enough from either Malagan or Orion, nor how it would help Orion by the end. I was actually more interested in their journey, and relationship development, than Orion working out how to get his lover back.

As stated above, this is a tease, and a glimpse into the author’s style. I would have preferred more, which is a good thing. It kept me engaged enough to read through without stopping, and by the end, I felt like I had read a prologue of Orion’s story.

Recommended for those who enjoy short BDSM stories, with switches.



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Blog Tour: One Pulse Anthology - Renee Stevens


The Unicorns are proud to be a part of the One Pulse tour to contribute in a small way to the victims whose lives will forever be changed by this devastating attack. #OrlandoStrong




I want to start off by thanking Boy Meets Boy for hosting me today and helping to get the word out about the Dreamspinner Press’ One Pulse Anthology.


The shooting at Pulse was a devastating attack on the LGBT community and in the days following I not only noticed how deeply it affected everyone around me, but in addition to that, there was an outpouring of support for the victims.


Dreamspinner Press quickly announced an anthology to benefit the victims and family of the Orlando shooting. All proceeds will be donated to LGBTQ organizations in central Florida. Authors donated their stories, artists donated the cover art, and Dreamspinner staff donated the time and effort to put together and edit the anthology. They wanted stories of love winning over any obstacle and just based on what I’ve read so far, the authors of Dreamspinner Press delivered. I’m only about halfway through reading and I can’t wait to see what the rest of the stories are like.


I instantly knew I wanted to help and worked to put together More Than a Pact for inclusion in the anthology. More Than a Pact revolves around Paul and Mac. They’ve been friends since college, and despite one drunken night together, they never became anything more, but not because it wasn’t what they wanted.  Now they’re both thirty-five, still alone, and Mac isn’t afraid to speak up for what he wants.


While they’ve both had relationships over the years, something always causes them to fizzle. It’s not until Mac shows up for Paul’s birthday, determined to remind him of the pact they made after that one night, that Paul accepts the part that Mac has played in each of his break-ups. The question remains, what are they going to do?

In More Than a Pact, Mac and Paul have to overcome time, distance, and their pre-conceived notions as to the true nature of their friendship.





Excerpt:


Paul kicked off his shoes and sank onto the couch. Thirty-frickin’-five and still alone. He’d had his share of lovers through the years, but it was rare that one lasted more than a couple of months. No matter how hard he tried, there was always something missing. His longest relationship had lasted a year, and then he’d thrown in the towel and admitted it wasn’t working out. Again.


If spending his birthday alone wasn’t bad enough, the advertising agency he worked at had lost one of their biggest clients. The second one in two months. When their contracts were up, they weren’t renewing. There were rumors of layoffs, and some of his coworkers were going into panic mode. Damn, he needed a drink. Should have fixed one before he sat down.


He grabbed his laptop, started it, and set it aside. Good thing he kept a bottle of whiskey on hand. He levered himself up off the couch and headed for the kitchen. Paul grabbed a glass, filled it half full of ice, poured some whiskey in, and topped it off with a can of Coke. He carried the much-needed drink back to the living room and sat down on the couch.


The computer had booted up, and for once it wasn’t being slow and had even finished connecting to the Internet. He took a swallow of his drink and set it on the end table, then pulled the computer onto his lap and signed in to his e-mail. Among the junk usually filling his inbox, there was a name he recognized. He grinned and clicked on the e-mail from Mac.


Happy Birthday, Pauly!! It’s the big 35, ain’t it? I’m going to be in town soon, want to grab a beer? Give me a call. You got my number. At least you’d better still have it!


Mac


Only Mac could get away with calling him Pauly. Paul sighed and sipped at his drink. Trust Mac to remember when his damn birthday was, despite the fact Paul had been very careful to avoid any mention of his birthday to anyone. Mac had turned thirty-five only a few months earlier, and Paul had made sure to call him. Rather than respond to the e-mail or call, Paul grabbed his cell phone and sent a text to his best friend since college.


When and where?


Paul rested his head against the back of the couch. It would be good to see Mac. He missed him. They’d gotten together a handful of times over the years since they graduated. He’d always secretly hoped for something to develop between the two of them, but outside of one drunken night, nothing ever happened. That one night hadn’t been enough to get Mac out of his system, but he’d forced himself to move on.


He was still thinking of their college days when his phone rang.




Blurb:


Stories drive life. Sometimes life is good; sometimes life is bad. But it’s the nature of our community that in the aftermath of an act of hatred, we respond with love. Because darkness cannot exist in the presence of light. Cruelty cannot stand against compassion. Negativity will never overcome hope.
To show our support for those affected by the Orlando shooting, our authors, editors, artists, and staff have volunteered their talents to create this anthology. All proceeds will be donated to LGBT organizations in central Florida. Join us as we celebrate the triumph of love over every obstacle.




Buy Links:




About Renee:


The heart wants what it wants and sometimes nothing will derail its journey.


Renee Stevens first started writing in her teens but didn’t get serious about being an author until her mid-twenties. Since then she’s written a number of contemporary stories, as well as delved into the paranormal. When not writing, or spending time in the outdoors, Renee can usually be found working on GayAuthors.org in her capacity of Admin, Blog Coordinator, and Anthology Coordinator.


Renee resides in Wyoming with her wonderfully supportive husband and a menagerie of four-legged critters. Making the most of the nearly constant negative temperatures and mounds of snow, Renee spends much of the winter months in hibernation with her laptop, the voices in her head keeping her company while her husband works.


When she needs a break from writing, Renee takes to the sewing machine to design, and make, beautiful quilts. When the snow finally disappears, usually around May or June, Renee can be found in the great-outdoors. She spends her time on the mountain, at the lake, and just anywhere that she can do some camping, take some photos, and ride the four-wheelers with her hubby. Once back at home, it’s back to writing.



Review: Infected: Holden (Mean Streets #1) by Andrea Speed

With his friend lion shifter Roan McKichan no longer in the picture, former sex worker Holden Krause is now working as a detective investigating cases in Seattle. When he receives a request to investigate a rather unusual case for Big Mike, a local drug dealer, he ignores the potential hazards in working for such a client and takes it on.

But Holden hasn’t given up his vigilante ways, occasionally seeking violent retribution for those ignored by the justice system. There’s a man stalking the streets, assaulting anyone he perceives to be trans or gender nonconforming in any way. When the brutality escalates, the case becomes personal for Holden.

If he cannot juggle being both a detective and a vigilante, his taste for blood and danger might finally catch up with him.






I think this is the hardest review I’ve ever had to write.  I started and stopped so many times that I lost my train of thought and had to think about what I was trying to say.  I also scrapped so many paragraphs because they just weren’t conveying what I was really feeling.  I thought about it,  I slept on it, I argued with myself, I discussed it with friends and I think I finally understand what it is about this book that has me so jumbled up in my heart. While I love this world that Speed has created and I gobbled up Roan’s series (except book 2, of course.  You couldn’t get me to read that heart shredding story if you set me on fire), I was disappointed and, to be honest, a bit offended by this book.  Please bear with me while I try and explain to you why this book affected me the way it did.  I have the utmost respect for the author and this is extremely hard for me.

We first met Holden Krause in the Infected series.  He quickly became a favorite of mine and I was so happy to see he was going to get his own series.  I mean, who wouldn’t love a snarky, overconfident ex-hooker (kinda) with psychopathic tendencies?  He was strong and fearless and always looking out for those who were more vulnerable.  I looked forward to the parts where we got his POV even if they were dark and a bit scary.  He took no shit from anyone and he wasn’t afraid to get the job done, even if it resulted in murder.  I adore an antihero and Holden was the epitome of an antihero.  So when this book was offered for review I jumped on it, just knowing I was going to love it.  It was going to be more of everyone’s favorite snarky ex-hooker (kinda), more shenanigans, more adventure.  What’s not to love?

But, I did not love it.  Sure, Holden’s still snarky and protective and a psychopath but something wasn’t right.  It felt a bit… off.  I didn’t adore him like I did before.  He wasn’t lovable any more.  He wasn’t mean or anything and he still has his vulnerability peeking out from time to time but I never engaged with him like I did in the past.  He felt cold to me.  I didn’t like it at all.  I found myself wanting to skip ahead to the parts where we got Scott’s POV.  Scott I loved.  Holden, not so much.

In Infected:  Holden, Roan has moved away and left his PI business to Holden.  Holden is unsure of his ability to be a private eye but, because Roan wants him to continue as his legacy he starts taking cases.  Of course he’s hired by a drug lord for his first case, because that is his life.  We meet Chai, a former coworker of Holden’s from the escort service where he used to be employed.  He left town a few years ago but, after a traumatic life event, is back, looking a little worse for the wear.  Chai slowly wiggled his way into the case, into Holden’s life and into my heart.  I really liked his character and he balanced out Holden’s aloofness well.  There’s a second storyline in this book too.  Someone is preying on the transgender and gender non-conforming population of the city and Holden feels like it is up to him to avenge those he considers ‘his’ people.  

I liked both storylines.  Yeah, they weren’t as action packed or adventurous as the storylines in the Infected series but what was there was good.  I liked that we got to see a lot of Scott and Grey and we even got a bit of Tank and Fiona.  Kevin and Dee also made appearances.  And the side story with Gareth was enjoyable too.  It wasn’t the story that disappointed me.  I’m actually looking forward to reading book two whenever it comes out.  I have in no way given up on this author.  I’m hoping this book was just a fluke and it will be better in book two.

*deep breath*

Now for the hard part.  I have a few issues.  The first is this book is rife with political agenda.  I felt like I was being lectured for the most part.  Now, I’m all for equal rights and everyone should be able to express themselves however they choose.  I myself am a proud parent of the most wonderful son who just happens to have been born a girl.  But don’t shove it down my throat.  Really, you’re preaching to the choir here.  There’s no need to school me.  I promise I’m smart enough to decide on my own how to feel.

My second issue is with the writing.  There were way too many words for a 200 page book.  It was all too talky, too thinky, too explainy.  The backstories were so in depth that it read more like a biography than fiction.  Nothing was organic.  When I meet someone new I don’t want to know every little thing about their past up front.  I want to be able to learn about them as I go along and decide for myself if I like them or not.  It takes the intrigue out of it if you tell me how I’m supposed to feel about them from the get-go.  And whenever something happened or someone was acting a certain way it was explained, again in depth, exactly why it happened or why they were acting that way.  It kept me from getting to actually know the characters and relating to them.  It made the book become boring and made me feel like I was studying for a test rather than reading a story.

Now for my biggest issue.  This book offended me.  I hate saying that word.  The first thing that comes to mind when I say that is ‘butt-hurt’.  No one wants to be labeled as person who gets ‘butt-hurt’ over a fictional story but I can’t think of a better word than offended.  There is a lot of het-hate in this book.  Nothing overt, but as I was reading along a comment would be made here and there that made me pause.  The more I read, the more upset I got until by the end I was quite pissed off.  Comments like “Shh. The hets continue to think they made this for them.”  or “...he was a bit tired of reading about hets.  Hets were everywhere, and he was getting weary of them.”  It felt to me like heterosexuals were portrayed as cheaters, liars,naive, stupid and foolish people who were too self centered and flaky to have happy, healthy relationships.  And not just some, but ALL heterosexuals.  I am a heterosexual woman who has been happily married for 20 years.  I didn’t marry for money and I’ve never cheated.  I am a strong, independent woman who has a successful career.  I felt discriminated against, like I wasn’t supposed to be reading this book.  Like it wasn’t written for someone like me.  Who wants to spend time and money to read something that makes them feel bad about themselves?

So, it is with great sadness that I give Infected:  Holden only two and a half hearts.  I just cannot abide by some of the things that were written in this book.  But, I want to reiterate that I will continue to read this series and any other of Speed’s books that catch my fancy.  I think Speed is a great storyteller.  I have high hopes that the next book will have less hate and political agenda and more action and adventure.  I wouldn’t say no to a little bit of romance thrown in too.






A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Find out more at DSP Publications and on Goodreads

Review: A Bell Rings by Alexa Milne

Sometimes you only need to believe.

Raziel Slade and Jack Hastings have been best friends since Raz saved Jack’s life twelve years ago. Only Jack doesn’t remember Raz at all, and he certainly doesn’t remember falling in love with him. Now that Jack’s moved in with his university housemates, explicit dreams begin of a blue-eyed male stranger. Needing a new flatmate after his best friend moves out, Jack is introduced to Raziel Slade who has extraordinary blue eyes. Jack has no idea how to cope with his attraction to the man.

Raziel Slade has a secret – he used to be an angel. He fell in love with Jack Hastings and happily became human, but the angels aren’t prepared to let him go and steal him back. All Raz wants to do is return to his lover any way he can.

When a film brings back Jack’s memories, will he feel the same as he did when he finds out what Raz gave up for him? And are the angels finally ready to let Raziel, the Keeper of Secrets, go?

Publisher's Note: This book is a sequel to Not Every Time.


Jack always believed himself straight, and is struggling with his attraction to his new roommate Raziel. Until want and need push him to make his move and life as Jack knows it suddenly changes in unexpected ways.

I like Angel stories. I find them pretty fascinating. It’s fun to see how many different ways an Angel can be created from the same list from history/mythology.


This did not work for me at all. While the premise was sound, the execution was all over the place. I felt lost, as lost as Jack. I really had no clue what was happening, and almost missed key parts of the plot, due to the sentence structure. I didn’t really like the set up, and found the world building to be lacking. I wanted something a little more from the beginning.

Over the last couple of years, I have come to realise I have strong feelings about characters who believe they are straight. It’s a fairly common plot device, and it’s becoming harder and harder for me to be convinced. The way this story was set up, and the reveal sort of explains why Jack believes this, but I didn’t like it. I would have preferred he thought he was bi and had never acted on his feelings with men.

The scene where Jack’s memory comes back was too rushed, with no real set up, and the scene right after that, well, they were suddenly in bed together. Not believable either. But hey, this is a fantasy story, and angel’s aren’t real either, so I should probably just get over it.

I think with some practice, this author could write a decent story. I can’t say this was a compelling, or very memorable story, but I wouldn’t discount more from Alexa in the future.


A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for a review.



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Release Blitz: Immortal Watch (Godsbane Prince, #2) by Olivia Helling


Immortal Watch Banner

Title: Immortal Watch
Series: Godsbane Prince 2
Author: Olivia Helling
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: Sept 23, 2016
Heat Level: 2 - Fade to Black Sex
Pairing: Male/Male
Length: 63,000 words
Genre: Romance, Fantasy, Horror

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Synopsis

Bonded soul mates. Shocking secrets. Protecting the one he loves could destroy everything…

Ilyas defeated the Dark God and won the spoils of a lifetime: a new kingdom, a new soulmate, and a chance at revenge. Just when he has the chance to humiliate the brother who sold him out, Ilyas learns a closely-guarded secret. He has a son, and now he’ll do everything he can to protect him.

Jem’s life was pure loneliness before he met Ilyas. But with the Dark God thwarted, Jem is completely powerless. When Ilyas begins to devote his full attention to the baby, Jem becomes determined to win his soulmate back.

After allying with a powerful secret society, Jem conspires to deliver an uninhabited world where Ilyas’ young son can truly be safe. But Jem didn’t realize that his new alliance comes at a high price, one that may cost him the love of Ilyas forever.

Immortal Watch is a spellbinding LGBT dark fantasy novel. If you like rich world-building, captivating storytelling, and edge-of-your-seat action, then you’ll love this story of love and horror from Olivia Helling.

Excerpt

Ilyas cocked his head. “Is something wrong?”
I breathed deep to avoid stuttering. “What would be wrong?”
“Just that I miss that smile of yours.” Ilyas smiled in turn.
For a heartbeat, I expected him to clasp my cheek, to draw me close, to envelop me in an embrace, to kiss me breathless, like he had when I had awoken to find myself his tawam rohi . Ilyas closed the display box and returned it to the drawer under the berth.
I exhaled. Of course not. Ilyas had promised to teach me all about kissing, and more, but he’d spoken in the heat of the moment when I’d awoken. Perhaps the fantasy of teaching me excited him more than the reality. My stomach sank.
After all, I wasn’t a eunuch. When Ilyas had still been the prince heir of Nuriya, his harem full of buxom ladies and eager lads, the male form hadn’t seemed to displease him. So long as they were eunuchs, not proper men, as Nuriyite decorum dictated. Nuriyites heaped rules upon everything from eating to sex. Lumians didn’t care, especially when sex wouldn’t provide more mouths to feed.
Or perhaps the fault lay in me, as a person.
Ilyas sank onto the berth with a big sigh. His features seemed drawn and stressed. I perched on the bed next to him, reaching to pet his hair. He groaned, and I froze.
I wanted more. I wanted to learn how to kiss. I wanted to learn how to wrap my thighs around his waist. I wanted—
“It will be fine, Jem,” he said.
I never used to be so selfish. He shouldered the fate of Lumi, and I couldn’t help him. All I did was lie wide awake at night, planning to demand more from him, planning to distract him.
“We can play a game of Go,” he said. “And I will wipe the deck with you this time.”
“Like the last eleven times?” I teased him.
“This one is my game.”

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Amazon | Allromance eBooks/OmnitLit | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes

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Meet the Author

Olivia Helling doesn't believe in love at first sight... but maybe, just maybe, it blossoms along a few books. That is, after all, how she fell in love with her husband.

Olivia writes about the darkness and flaws from within, the struggle with self-confidence, self-perception and fear of failure, and fantasy and historical worlds that refuse to allow love between men. So be warned: happily ever after is not guaranteed.

The protagonist and love interest don't always end up together by the end of one book. But when they finally come together, their love will be a thing of beauty.

Want to stay up-to-date on Olivia’s latest books?
Sign up for her newsletter at: http://oliviahelling.com/snowmancer-emails

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Review: The Pill Bugs of Time (Offbeat Crimes #2) by Angel Martinez

Relationship and communication issues plague Officer Vikash Soren, but those are nothing compared to facing stick-throwing tumbleweeds, pill bugs and…time travel?

Vikash Soren, the perfect police officer except for his odd paranormal ability, never seems to lose his temper. Always serene and competent, he’s taken on the role of mediator in a squad room full of misfits. But on the inside, he’s a mess. Unable to tell his police partner that he loves him, Vikash struggles silently, terrified of losing Kyle as a lover, partner and friend.

But life in the 77th Precinct doesn’t leave much room for internal reflection. A confrontation with a stick-throwing tumbleweed in Fairmount Park leads to bizarre consequences involving pill bugs, statues and…time travel? If Vikash manages to survive the week and stay in one point in time, he might be able to address normal things like relationship problems. He just needs Kyle to have a little more patience. Maybe a few centuries’ worth.



So much fun! I think I said that about the first book... well, it still applies! I am 100% in with this series after this second installment. I liked the first book, but I loved this second book. 

The story is told from Vikash's point of view, which I really liked. He's still in the closet and fearful of anyone knowing he and Kyle are together. The POV switch really worked here. I think Vikash would have come off as really cold and unlikable if I wasn't able to see what was going on in that serious head of his. While I still wanted to strangle him every time he jumped at the slightest touch with Kyle in public, I don't know that I could've forgiven him if there wasn't any insight from his POV.

The mystery. OMG. So, there are pill bugs latching themselves onto people. Their venom? It causes time travel. I can't get over the quirkiness of this world and I totally love it. It was a crazy ride traveling to different time periods with Vikash. It all moved a little fast. I would have liked a couple more time traveling scenes and maybe a little more mystery in the case. The pacing was really quick and while the story kept me super engaged, it felt rushed.

I simply adore Vikash and Kyle. Their chemistry and their humor is spot on. They are a fantastic duo and I'm so happy with the direction of their relationship. Even though the world-building is a little out there, these guys felt so real. They have real problems and they way they dealt with them felt so natural.

We have the same cast of wacky characters from the first book, snark and humor, and a lovely relationship between two paranormal misfits. I can't wait to get my hands on more of this series. 

Goodness. I hope there's another book coming. Please and thank you.

A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Find out more info on Goodreads.

Release Blitz + Giveaway: Sweet Summer Sweat by Clare London


Welcome Clare London to the clubhouse! She's hosting a $10 Amazon or ARe gift card AND 1 Clare London backlist ebook (winner's choice) GIVEAWAY to celebrate her release, Sweet Summer Sweat, a spooky paranormal MMM.

Sweet Summer Sweat - Clare London

Author: Clare London

Release Date: September 20 2016

Publisher: Jocular Press

Length: 74,000 words

Buy Links: 

Blurb

When you find a place where lust and sex rule life, and your every desire can be fulfilled, why would you ever want to leave?
Young runaway Scot and his boyfriend Jerry escape their deadbeat homes and families, hoping to leave prejudice behind them and travel to a new life in Las Vegas. Unprepared and naive, they're lost almost at once, and shelter at a run-down, deserted motel in the middle of the scorching hot Nevada desert. A place with secrets, run by staff both gorgeous and uninhibited, and driven by a mysterious sexual connection Scot’s never even dared to dream.
All but drugged by the lazy heat and the hedonism around him, Scot watches as Jerry is seduced away and realizes their relationship was nothing more than shared lust. Restless, Scot knows he wants true love and real understanding. Could he find it with the mysterious and elusive owner of the motel, Connor Maxwell? Connor seems to think so, every time he appears and pursues Scot for his own. But where does Connor come from? It seems the passion calls him into being at its own whim.
Eventually, what binds Connor and his friends to the motel may be too strong for Scot to break through. Scot has ambitions to travel, to make something of his life – but is his only option to embrace life at the motel in his true lover’s arms?
Or will that love be strong enough to release them both...

Excerpt

Scot had been dreaming, he was sure
he had, though he couldn’t recall it clearly. It had been a suffocating,
disorientating dream: he could still feel the shudder in his limbs, the throb
of his heart. A wet dream?
you
were happy. You were laughing
The details were slipping away from
him like smoke, even as his mind cleared. But he remembered a tall stranger
leaning over him with a hypnotizing smile, and an expression of delight.
Someone welcoming, with hands on him, soothing him, caressing him. A comforting,
sensual presence beside him, within him, talking
to him….
I’ve
been waiting for you
Scot shook his head to clear such
nonsense. A presence? What the hell kind of weird word is that?
He and Jerry had been to plenty of movies about vampires, succubi and other
monsters, though they’d spent most of the time making out in the darkened back
seats of the theater. Was one of those special effect creatures teasing his
dreams now? But he hadn’t watched a movie like that for a long time. They
didn’t scare him like they were meant to, and besides, he knew all too well the
difference between movies and reality.
He stretched, his movements languid.
The tangible feeling persisted. It felt soft and thick, flowing like viscous
liquid, stroking like feathers, full of warmth and color and a really delicious
smell.
talking to you
It wanted him. It slid inside his clothes,
between his legs, seeking an entrance to his body.
want
you
Startled, Scot sat bolt upright. His
heart was beating far more quickly than usual. For the first time, he acknowledged
he was in nothing but his boxers, with no memory of undressing. And he had a
throbbing erection. It tented the fabric, causing a damp patch at its tip. This
was fiercer than his normal waking reaction, and it showed no signs of dying
down.
Shit. He’d never had such a strange, erotic dream
before, not even about Jerry!
He shifted on the bed, unsettled and
horny, the sheet creased beneath him. Had Jerry undressed him? Surely it
wouldn’t have been anyone else. The erection nagged at him, persistent and
demanding. He toyed with the idea of running his hand a little lower, and
giving it what it needed—
Then a door at the back of the room
opened, bringing a waft of scented, wet air from what was obviously the
bathroom.
“Scot? You’re awake then.” It was
Jerry, his voice soft and sleepy too. The hard edge of their last conversation
had gone, replaced by the caressing tone Jerry often used when they were making
out.
“Where have you been?” Scot
grumbled. “Come closer.”
Jerry walked over to the bed, toweling
at his hair. He was naked, except for another towel twisted around his slim waist.
A fuzzy patch of moonlight bathed his bare chest, highlighting a single, erect
nipple.
Scot ached somewhere deep inside,
wondering at the emotions that stirred him so strongly. He lusted after Jerry,
of course he did, but this ache was something else. Damned dreams. “How
late is it? Have you had a shower? I thought the lights were working now.”
“They are.” Jerry’s smile was more
relaxed. “But I liked the candlelight in the dining room, so I thought we could
have the same in here. It’s only ten p.m. or so. My headache was easing off so I
left you sleeping and took a shower. It’s a very small bathroom so we’ll have
to take a turn.” His gaze flickered over Scot’s stretched limbs, the shape of
his swollen cock under the sheet. “I thought you needed the sleep.”
“Thanks.” Scot sighed and wriggled
his hips on the bed. “But now I need something else.”
Jerry laughed and turned to the
dresser, lighting a candle in one of the holders there. When he turned back to Scot,
the chiaroscuro effect made him look alternately sensual and sinister. The
faint smell of sulfur from the match trailed in the still air.
Scot sighed contentedly, and fell
back on to the bed. “Didn’t I say to come closer?”
A strange expression flitted over
Jerry’s face, but he grinned easily enough and climbed onto the bed beside
Scot. “Yes, boss.”
Scot chuckled, then caught his
breath. Jerry’s body beside him was so different from his dream. It was real.
“It’s just us now, isn’t it?”
“Yes, thank God. This is our new
beginning. For us, Scot—together. They won’t chase us any more, there’s no one
to keep us apart. To tell us who we can and can’t see.”
It sounded rather melodramatic to
Scot, but no less the truth. “To swear and spit at us?”
Jerry nodded. He stretched out a
hand and slid it around Scot’s neck. “I know how bad it was—”
“No, you don’t.” Scot tried to keep
the pain and anger out of his voice, but sometimes he wondered if he ever
would. He’d struggled with life for as long as he could remember, first of all
trying to keep beneath the radar of his miserable home situation, then to hide
the true nature of his friendship with Jerry. He’d once told Jerry that he lied
so much to his family and colleagues, he couldn’t always remember what was the
truth and what was his cover story. He’d been forced to do it all because he’d
been drawn to a man: they’d wanted each other.
Was that so wrong? He didn’t know
which caused him the more pain—the persecution and abuse he’d suffered, or the
cowardly way he’d tried to cope with it all.
“Hey, it’s okay. There’ll be no more
of that crap,” Jerry whispered. He rolled across the bed, nudging against
Scot’s body. “You’re so damned hot.” He winced as he shifted his cock under the
towel. “You make me so fucking horny.”
Scot smiled and pressed his mouth to
Jerry’s shoulder. His heart was beating fast again, but for a very different
reason. “No more sneaking around, doing it in corners. In cars and alleyways.”
Jerry grinned. “Not always so bad,
though? Sometimes the danger adds to the excitement.”
Scot hid his shiver. “But we have a
choice, now, Jerry. A choice of when and where. Not just snatched half hours at
lunch, or after dark, or while my parents are getting wasted at some bar or
other.”
Jerry nodded. “Sure, whatever.” His
hands ran gently down Scot’s chest, cupping his belly.
Scot’s muscles tightened. So maybe
he’d found their secret life much more distressing than Jerry had. And it had
been exciting, in its own way. Jerry in particular had seemed to enjoy the
risk. Their groping sessions had been desperate and awkward, but Jerry had never
hesitated to take any opportunity to fuck. Scot had been carried away with the
desire too, but he regretted the fact they’d never had much time together to
explore each other’s bodies. Everything had been rushed, the feelings anguished,
the lovemaking awkward. Scot felt he had years of frustration and repression still
to set free.
“Jerry….”
“Hmm?”
“My choice is now, Jerry. I
want you here—and now.”
“Sure.” Jerry smiled at him. He
didn’t seem to be listening that carefully, his eyes unfocused and his
breathing shallow. Scot could feel Jerry’s cock thickening under the towel. He
reached down, jerked the cloth away, and took firm hold of it.

Author Bio


Clare London took her pen name from the city where she lives, loves, and
writes. A lone, brave female in a frenetic, testosterone-fuelled family home,
she juggles her writing with her other day job as an accountant.


She’s written in many genres and across many settings, with award-winning
novels and short stories published both online and in print. She says she likes
variety in her writing while friends say she’s just fickle, but as long as both
theories spawn good fiction, she’s happy. Most of her work features male/male
romance and drama with a healthy serving of physical passion, as she enjoys
both reading and writing about strong, sympathetic, and sexy characters.


Clare currently has several novels sulking at that tricky chapter three
stage and plenty of other projects in mind... she just has to find out where
she left them in that frenetic, testosterone-fuelled family home.





Clare loves to hear from readers, and you can contact her here:




Website: http://www.clarelondon.com

E-mail: clarelondon11@yahoo.co.uk

Blog: www.clarelondon.com/blog

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clarelondon

Twitter: https://twitter.com/clare_london

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/clarelondon


Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/clarelondon/

Google+ : https://plus.google.com/u/0/+ClareLondon/posts







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Review: David, Renewed by Diana Copland

When interior designer David Snyder buys a beautiful century-old house in eastern Washington, he is reeling with heartbreak and looking for somewhere to put down roots. Unfortunately his new home comes with a laundry list of problems: electrical, plumbing, heating… things David knows nothing about. When his mother offers him the business card of a local handyman, David pictures an overweight, balding man in his fifties. But Jackson Henry couldn’t be further from that stereotype.

Dark-haired, muscular, and handsome, Jackson left a large construction firm in Seattle to take care of his sick mother. However, his hometown still has an active “good old boy” network, and finding employment in construction is almost impossible for an openly gay man. Determined to persevere, Jackson takes odd jobs as a handyman. He’s exactly what David needs—in more ways than one.

David isn’t ready for his attraction to Jackson, not considering the way his last relationship ended. But as the two men get to know each other, it becomes clear that the heart often knows best, and it rewards those willing to listen.


I loved this character driven story and it wasn’t just the MC’s driving the bus. The entire cast had a real purpose with unique personalities and they all added to the pacing of David’s renewal.

David has left his boyfriend of five years after the Cheating Bastard got caught with his dick down a twinks throat and David comes to the realization that the Cheating Bastard was always a bastard on some level and his self-confidence has taken a hit. He impulsively buys a beautiful Craftsman home in the neighborhood he grew up in and quickly realizes his beautiful home is a money pit. His mom (who is awesome, as is his sister) gives him the card of a local handyman, Jackson Henry.

David is expecting an older, overweight guy sporting a plumber’s crack and instead he is pleasantly surprised and flustered to be confronted with an Adonis in a toolbelt and flannel. The whole getting-to-know-you portion of the book was so yummy. Most everyone loves this part of a relationship and David, Renewed does not disappoint. It was flirty and charming and still read very real. During this part the author also introduced the cast of characters that make me wish with all my nuggets that this turns into a series. I need Michael and Vic’s story. That has to be a thing. And Manny? Manny needs his story told too.

There is some drama thanks to Cheating Bastard, but it wasn’t over the top and it moved the story along as these things do. It didn’t feel forced at all which was good because as I said earlier, great pacing. It did bring David and Jackson together probably a little bit more quickly, but that was a good thing. The story was going there anyway, so it flowed right along. I also liked that the two of them declared their extreme like for each other while there was still plenty of story to be had so I got to get invested in their relationship as well as their courtship.

Jackson is completely swoon worthy and naturally charming while David is so very relatable and genuine, I couldn’t help but want them together. It wasn’t a sugar fest though, there was enough snark, dirty talk and stress to keep the book grounded with the two MC’s as well as the supporting cast. The scene is set for a series and it wouldn’t be one of those where half the “small” town just happens to be gay and they hop from one couple to the next. This ending is unique and calls on the skills of the group and would make complete sense as a series.

Annnnnd, I can’t wait, so I need Ms. Copland to heed the Call of the Unicorn and give Peach what she needs in more stories for the wonderful guys.


For more information and to get your copy of David, Renewed, head over to Dreamspinner Press.


**a copy of this story was provided for an honest review**

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