Showing posts with label Drama. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Drama. Show all posts

April 5, 2016

Excerpt & Giveaway! Remembering Everly, Lost & Found #2 by J.L. Berg


After two years in a coma, August Kinkaid has forgotten the darkness in his past. But his past hasn't forgotten him. His beautiful former fiancée, Everly, remembers every tumultuous moment of their stormy relationship. The sizzling passion. The web of lies. And the terrible secret Everly's been hiding since her last fateful night with August.

Now the truth is out and August remembers everything. As his long-buried memories come flooding back, he begins to understand why Everly would want to move on with her life. Why she would give her heart to another man. And why August should try to forget her once and for all.

But he can't give up on the only woman he's ever loved. Even if he has to reopen old wounds--and face the darkest demons of his past--August will do whatever it takes for a second chance with Everly. He let her slip away once. He's not about to spend the rest of his life remembering Everly when he could be holding her in his arms forever . . .





Secrets. 

They had the ability to destroy lives, obliterate relationships and sabotage even the strongest partnerships. Big or small…it didn’t matter. Even the tiniest white lie had the power to corrode—to shatter and dismantle everything you loved. 

I’d carried a secret so big, for so long that sometimes I felt physically weak from its weight. I had thought I could carry its burden to my grave—that eventually its truth would die along with me. 

But secrets never die. 

They live on far longer than we do, and they always find their way to the surface. 

Mine certainly did. 

Sitting alone in the apartment I shared with my fiancé, I gently rolled the smooth green stone between my thumb and forefinger, over and over, remembering the day it was returned to me. 

In all our years together, I’d never seen August so cold. So lifeless. 

It frightened me to my core. 

But I still hadn’t told anyone. It had been three days and I had yet to tell my fiancé or best friend about the events that had taken place in that bridal shop. As far as Ryan and Sarah knew, August had rudely interrupted my bridal appointment to tell me he had his memories back—that was all. 

Nothing more, nothing less. 

Why hadn’t I elaborated? I didn’t want to admit my shame. I couldn’t share this secret, my darkest lie. What would they think of me? I was the reason August had been in that hospital bed for two years. And the worst part? I’d lied about it—to everyone.





Author J.L. Berg is a California native living in the South. She is the author of the self-pubbed Ready series, which has sold over 100,000 copies. Married to her high school sweetheart. She and her husband have two beautiful girls that drive them batty on a daily basis. When she's not writing, you can find her with her nose stuck in a romance book, in a yoga studio or devouring anything chocolate.


October 20, 2015

Author Interview, Excerpt & Giveaway! The Wold As He Sees It, Perspectives #2 by A.M. Arthur




Love knows no limits…but fear could keep them from seeing it.

Gabe lives a double life. As Gabriel Henson, he works multiple jobs to support his remorseless, alcoholic mother. As Tony Ryder, he does internet porn for extra cash and regular safe sex without complications. 

Yet when he encounters a scared young man freaking out in a night club, he’s compelled to reach out. Ever since then, the memory of that young man has haunted him.

Tristan Lavelle lives his life thirty minutes at a time. After a traumatic brain injury three years ago, he gets through his day recording his life in spiral notebooks and sticky note reminders. 

A month after Tristan’s embarrassingly public meltdown, another chance meeting with Gabe sparks a warm, emotionally fulfilling email relationship. Both men crave more, but fear of the next step stands between them. 

Until Tristan gets the opportunity to take part in a clinical trial that could improve his memory—if the side effects don’t kill him. But for Tristan, the possibility of a real life with Gabe is worth any risk…



Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing A.M. Arthur, author of The World As He Sees It (Perspectives #2).

Hi A.M., thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself, your background, and your current book.

Hello! I’m a contemporary m/m romance author (who occasionally dips into paranormal). I hail from the Eastern Shore of Maryland, equal distances from beaches and corn fields, and I currently share my apartment with two rascals of kitties. 

My current book, The World As He Sees It, is the second in my Perspectives series with Samhain Publishing. It’s Tristan and Gabe’s book, and anyone who read the first Perspectives knows why Tristan is super special. He has severe short term memory loss, which prevents him from living a fully realized life. Gabe spends all of his time and money taking care of his alcoholic mother, which prevents him, also, from living a fully realized life. I’m so excited for readers to finally get their story.

Where did your love of books/storytelling/reading/writing come from?

I’ve loved books for as long as I can remember. As a child, I had all of those kid versions of Disney movies and stories, Cabbage Patch books, the Serenity books. I loved reading. I read so much as an adolescent that my mom would drive us to a library in another town because they didn’t have a check-out limit. 

All of that reading probably fed my love of storytelling, which I used a lot playing with Barbies and plastic dinosaurs (not at the same time). I suppose writing was simply another step forward, a way to record those stories tumbling around in my head and, eventually, share them with other people.

What were your goals when you started this book? Do you think you met them?

My goals were to give Tristan a happily ever after than readers would believe in, without getting schmaltzy or using too many gimmicks. I think I met those goals for myself, as the author. I hope and pray I met that goal for my loyal readers who’ve been asking for this book since February. 

Have you ever co-written with someone before?

I’ve never co-written an m/m romance with anyone. I’ve co-written fanfiction and taken part in interactive, email-based role plays, but not anything that I’ve ever been paid for. I wouldn’t mind it, if the right person and story idea came along.

Tell us about your favorite character in a book (yours or someone else’s).

Well, Tristan definitely tops that list of favorite characters. I don’t know if I could ever declare an absolute favorite, whether my own or someone else’s, because those loves shift with each new story I read or write. A favorite character from someone else’s book is Dex, from Amy Lane’s Johnnies books. I just adore him and how he holds that family of misfits together.

List five foods you can’t live without.

Cheese, popcorn, coffee, gluten-free pasta, peanut butter.


The late hour didn’t diminish the sweltering August heat, and Tristan worked up a good sweat walking. Shane and Noel both looked crazy sexy in their club clothes, and even sexier walking side by side. He was happy for Noel. Happy his best friend was in love and enjoying himself.

He was also stupidly, insanely jealous.

He stuck close with his stupid, insane jealousy because the streets were teeming with people of all ages, heading into and out of the different restaurants and clubs. They turned down a quieter side street that was more like an alley. Halfway down the block a few guys hung out against a stone wall, most of them smoking cigarettes. An industrial door with no sign or markings was being guarded by a big, burly bear of a man in a black leather vest.

“Hey, Officer Carlson,” the bouncer said. He had a deep voice to match his broad body. “Nice to see you again.”

“Hi, Mr. Henson,” Noel said.

“Bear, son. Everyone calls me Bear.”

“Right. This is my friend Tristan Lavelle.”

“A right pleasure.”

Tristan shook Bear’s hand, surprised by the gentle grip. “Hi.” He glanced at Shane, who didn’t seem at all annoyed at being left out. “Um, that’s Shane. Noel’s boyfriend.”

Bear grinned. “Yeah, I know that one all right.”

“You do?” He reached for a notebook he didn’t have, then looked at Noel for answers.

“Shane dances here once a week,” Noel said. “He got the job through Bear’s son Gabe.”

“Oh.” He didn’t bother asking if he’d already been told that. Probably. Every single piece of information that was mildly important to his life had been repeated to him at least, oh, eighteen times. Minimum.

“Enjoy yourselves, boys,” Bear said. “First drinks are on the house.”

“Thank you,” Tristan replied.

Noel pulled the door, and what had been a distant bass became an impressive thumpa-thumpa in Tristan’s chest. The interior of the club was wide and deep, with a high ceiling decorated in strands of red and blue lights. Strobes and other lighting flashed around the dance floor, which seemed to make up most of the floor space. A small U-shaped bar stood to the right. In the rear were what looked like raised platforms. Two hot guys in red short-shorts were gyrating together on one of them.

This is the kind of dancing Shane does? Shit.

He was probably twenty kinds of hot up there.

Someone jostled past them, reminding Tristan to keep moving forward. Noel was hustling them straight for the bar. Tristan couldn’t drink alcohol because of his antidepressants and anxiety medications, and Noel was driving so the only person able to drink much was Shane.

Lucky bastard.

Not that Tristan was going to mourn his dry night. Men. Everywhere around him, a sea of hot men. All kinds of eye candy. Every age, height, weight, shape and body hair amount. He observed and mentally drooled over the flesh on display. The air smelled of liquor and sweat and sex, and good Lord he was starting to get lightheaded from it all.

Noel nudged them closer to the bar. A middle-aged man with gray hair and a pink sequined vest gave them all a big, toothy smile. “Noel and friends,” he said. “Richard Brightman, pleased to officially meet you, Tristan.”

“Hello,” Tristan said. Officially meet you implied they’d interacted before, but the man’s name meant nothing to him.

“I’m Bear’s husband. We own the place.”

“Oh. It’s a great place. I’m pretty sure this is my first time. I like it.”

Noel flinched.

Okay that was wrong. When was I here before?

“So what are we drinking tonight?” Richard asked. “First round on the house. Samuel Adams for you, Shane?”

“Yeah, thanks,” Shane replied.

Richard knows because Shane works here.

“I’ll have a vodka tonic,” Noel said. “Tris?”

“Virgin margarita,” Tristan said. He loved margaritas, and while a virgin wasn’t as good as one with Patrón, he couldn’t mix with his meds.

“Coming up,” Richard said.

The music changed to a faster, sharper beat. Tristan’s hips rolled in tiny motions, instinct bringing out his love of club dancing. Of getting into it with another dude, all writhing bodies and gyrating hips. Arms and legs. Sweat and heavy breathing.

Wonderful arousal stirred in his gut, heating his blood already. He might not be getting laid tonight, but damn it, he was going to have some fun.

“Hey, you guys made it,” said a sexy, sultry voice.

Tristan glanced over his shoulder to see who the voice had spoken to, only to find himself staring into a pair of kind, dark eyes. Kind, dark eyes belonging to a stunningly handsome face. Black hair. Tan skin. Tall and well-built. A walking wet dream who was smiling like they were old friends.

Holy fucking hell, he’s gorgeous.

“Hey, Gabe,” Shane said.

Gabe.

Those kind, dark eyes never broke from his, and Tristan couldn’t look away. Gabe was a stranger, and yet somehow familiar.

His eyes. The eyes I see. We’ve met.

“We’ve met,” Tristan said before he could think twice.

Gabe’s eyebrows twitched. “Yes, we have. Do you remember that?”

“I remember your eyes.”



A.M. Arthur was born and raised in the same kind of small town that she likes to write about, a stone's throw from both beach resorts and generational farmland. She's been creating stories in her head since she was a child and scribbling them down nearly as long, in a losing battle to make the fictional voices stop. She credits an early fascination with male friendships (bromance hadn't been coined yet back then) with her later discovery of and subsequent love affair with m/m romance stories. 

When not exorcising the voices in her head, she toils away in a retail job that tests her patience and gives her lots of story fodder. She can also be found in her kitchen, pretending she's an amateur chef and trying to not poison herself or others with her cuisine experiments. 

Contact her at am_arthur@yahoo.com with your cooking tips (or book comments).




September 25, 2015

Excerpt & Giveaway! The Lies Between Us, The Devil's Dust #4 by M.N. Forgy




Cherry’s life growing up was nothing short of a nightmare. Having an abusive father forced her to fend for herself from an early age. Bruised and emotionally broken, she finally escaped, running straight into the comfort that Lip's arms brought. In the beginning, everything seemed to fall into place perfectly. He made her forget the messed-up ways of her life. But secrets can’t stay neglected. They have a habit of revealing themselves regardless of the consequences. Terrified, Cherry can’t speak a word or she’ll lose it all.

Lip is no stranger to the criminal life. Growing up among convicts, he wanted nothing more than to show his worth. He’ll do anything for the club without question, including serving six years in prison. But nobody could have predicted life’s plan. Rugged, tattooed, and wanting nothing more than to have Cherry, Lip is no longer the man whom Cherry remembers. After his release, he came out a beast with more secrets and lies than his cage could hold.




After he leaves, I open his wallet, reading his name, address, weight. All of it.

“Phillip DeLuca.” I taste his name running off my lips as I trace my finger over his picture. He’s so handsome. He’s the kind of guy most people would be afraid of, but not me. I want to get to know him. Lost in a daydream, my car door is yanked open.

“Where the fuck is it, bitch?”

“What?” I shriek as I’m pulled out of the car and slammed forward onto the hot hood. “I don’t have anything!” I scream, trying to pull free. He shoves me back down on the hood. His hand tangled in my hair.

“Don’t think about moving,” he spits, his tone harsh. I roll my eyes and continue leaning over the hood. My heart slams against my chest in pure panic, and my hands shake. He pulls away and leans in to the car. Within seconds, he finds his wallet. Shit.

He peers at me with a fierce energy in his eyes. The intensity has me pulling off the hood, scared out of my mind.

“You have some balls,” he mutters, shoving his wallet back in his pocket. His tone is soft and tender suddenly. I turn my head and eye him angrily.

“Fuck you.” I cross my arms and lean my hip against the car. My choice of words more confident than I’m feeling.

He steps up to me and grabs my hips hard with both hands. My skin burns, and my mouth parts with desire. His brown eyes find mine, and his hands yank my body closer to his. I feel like all the air is sucked from my lungs as I search his dark eyes. Placing my hands on his solid chest to steady myself, my palms buzz with excitement.

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” He looks me up and down and leans in close. “You’d like it if I pushed you over the hood of this car and fucked you ‘til your legs gave out.” His words feather against my lips, he’s so close. I hold my breath, willing my body to pull away, but I don’t move. Just when I think he’s going to kiss me, he grabs my hand and pulls it upward. I furrow my brows and watch as he pulls a pen from his back pocket, pulling the cap off with his teeth. He writes his number and the word ‘Lip’ on my hand.

“Call me. Don’t make me come find you, Cherry.”

“Cherry?” I ask out loud.

“Your swimsuit,” he yells over his shoulder before starting his bike. I look down at my white shirt noticing my cherry bikini peeking out from the bust line. A smile creeps across my face. I know I shouldn’t like him, but I kind of do. Driving past me, he winks and I swear I sigh like a damn fool.


The Devil’s Dust Series
What Doesn’t Destroy Us (Book One) The Devil’s Dust

The Scars that Define Us (Book Two) The Devil’s Dust

The Broken Piece of Us (Book 2.5) The Devil’s Dust

The Fear That Divides Us (Book Three) The Devil’s Dust

Love That Defies Us (Novella)



M.N. Forgy was raised in Missouri where she still lives with her family. She's a soccer mom by day and a saucy writer by night. M.N. Forgy started writing at a young age but never took it seriously until years later, as a stay-at-home mom, she opened her laptop and started writing again. As a role model for her children, she felt she couldn't live with the "what if" anymore and finally took a chance on her character's story. So, with her glass of wine in hand and a stray Barbie sharing her seat, she continues to create and please her fans.





September 2, 2015

Spotlight, Review & Excerpt! Rubble and the Wreckage, A Gabriel Church Tale #1 by Rodd Clark


Gabriel Church knows you can’t take a life without first understanding just how feeble life is, how tentative and weak it stands alone. If you desire murder, you hold a life in your hand. Whether you release it to grant life or grip tighter to end it, it is at your command and discretion.

Gabriel is a serial killer with a story he wants told.

Christian Maxwell studied abnormal psychology in college but chose instead to focus on a career in writing. His background comes in handy when he thinks of writing about a serial killer. He can’t think of anyone more qualified to write the story of Gabriel Lee Church, and do so in the murderer’s own words. It’s been done before, but never with a killer who has yet to be captured or convicted.

There was never anything more than a gentleman’s understanding between the two men that Christian would record Gabriel’s life story. The killer did not ask for his complicity in any crimes, nor did he ever ask for his silence. Christian’s interest in the man, though, is fast becoming something more than academic. When the writer and his subject become unexpected friends and then lovers, the question remains: What is Gabriel’s endgame . . . and why does he want his story told?



“Tell me your story.” Christian Maxwell began, wetting his lips and
leaning in. He stared at the killer across the table and rested his forearms
on the notepad before him. His look was imploring, he was begging for good
and gory details. Gabe stared at him glassy eyed and with anticipation. He
was all but squinting with excitement, of all that was to follow. He had a
somewhat wanting expression on his face. Gabe had seen that look many times
before.

“Better the devil you barely know.” Gabe thought. “If someone else’s
gonna be making money off my story it might as well be this guy.”

He remembered the first time the thought of telling his story had first sprung
to mind. The memories of it much like this, detached, more after-thought than
close consideration.

“Ever been out to the Florida Keys?” Gabe asked.

When he only received a nod from Maxwell to his question he continued
absently, “For me it was like driving to the keys, a few miles over the
speed limit on that old Highway One…you know, the one they called Highway
out to Sea…under fleecy clouds with that fresh coastal winds slapping you in
your face, under a vast, unending blue on blue…it is rather freeing.” His
hands wrapped around the old dusty cover of the book he was holding, more as
an effect than something to read.

Christian listened to him speaking with that far-away gaze in his eyes,
knowing he was already back there in his mind. He pretended to jot notes down
but concentrated more on that distant expression on Church’s face. Sitting
so close to him, he could almost feel the wind slapping his hair, the sun
beating down as he rode in the passenger seat of Church’s mental trip along
Highway One. He knew it was going to be a good book when he finished it. He
didn’t want to interrupt the narrator but he couldn’t resist,“But it
didn’t begin in Florida did it? I just presumed it happened elsewhere.”

The killer’s posture changed as he replied. He sat up straight in the chair,
his eyes narrowed, “If you think you know where it started then why are we
sitting around hashing old news?” The killer’s voice was cold. Dampness
built under Christian’s armpits.
“Because no one has ever asked you for your side of it, usually a serial
murderer doesn’t get a chance to explain why he kills.

But I…” pointing to his own chest, “…I want to give you that
opportunity.”

“Well that’s mighty big of you.” Gabe leaned back in his chair and
smiled a grin that could cut through glass, his mocking words and expressive
eyes said it all: this might just prove to be an interesting way to spend his
free time. He rubbed his rough forefinger across the lip of the wine glass as
a carnal abstraction as he watched Maxwell jot his notes, even though they
hadn’t even begun his tale.

“Shouldn’t you wait till I start to speak before you scribble down all
those pretty words?”

Christian looked up and smiled sheepishly, “…just mood stuff. You’ll
have to get used to that…meaning my process, early on.” He put his pen
down and folded his hands neatly to hide his notes. “I’m a little
fastidious or obsessive at times.”

“No worries”, he said nodding, “The same has been said of me.”
That bent smile of a killer reappeared and twisted Church’s face into a
mocking evil caricature, sending a shiver down Christian’s spine. He smiled
back and returned a look that seemed to place them on equal understanding.
‘This was going to be tough’, he thought, ‘but worth it.’ Christian
picked up his pen and sent an imploring gaze at his subject of study.

Gabe recognized the untidy anticipation, and reluctantly continued.
“Actually it began in Texas…but we need to go back to where the...umm,
desires, I guess is the word…first came into clear focus don’t we? I mean
you want the full picture don’t you?”
When the man didn’t offer a conciliatory gesture, Gabe continued.
“Before Florida, before Seattle I had been somewhere else… it was a better
place for me, because it still held some type of promise, nothing had been
carved into stone…if you’ll pardon the pun.” Church’s head lolled back
as if he was about to break into a hearty laugh.
He was a dangerous sick man Christian could see that. His reference to the
markers of his varied victims, as his nonchalant manner in describing his
affinity to murder was unsettling, even for someone as akin to pathology as
Christian Maxwell.

In college, his dark sense of humor and an uncomfortably quiet nature was
off-putting to most. His so-called friends would jokingly offer that it was
going to be Christian who would be famous, but more for the salvo of bullets
which hit other students from his safe vantage in some random clock tower or
rooftop. The look on Maxwell’s face as he sat across from Gabe was pensive
as if he was about to interrupt again but questioned the insolence. The
killer had nothing but time, but he didn’t like breaking his train of
thought so early.

My Thoughts


I don't know if I should call this a review because it's not exactly that. 

Rubble and the Wreckage is a very interesting book. You already know from the synopsis that this is the story of a serial killer, so I'll skip that part.

Let me tell you a little bit about the characters. Gabriel is a complex and, dare I say, fascinating man. 

When we say "serial killer", we automatically assume the guy must be some nut job who went on a killing spree. 

Well, Gabriel is different. His psyche is an interesting place to explore.

While he didn't actually receive a very good education, he is an extremely intelligent person. He's also very skilled at staying under the radar and reading people. In his case, very useful traits. 

He doesn't exactly have a pattern when it comes to killing. When it happens, he just goes with it and that's that. 

His agreement to the interview might not make sense but, while he is an expert when it comes to reading people, he himself is very hard to understand. His reasons aren't always logical or obvious. 

Enter Christian. 

This guy is another story altogether. His fascination with Gabriel is completely unhealthy, no questions there. 

I'm not exactly sure if the interview was the only reason he wanted to get close to the man. 

There' s something about him that's not exactly ... right. 

I can't give you details without also giving spoilers and I don't want to ruin the book for those who haven't read it yet. 

The writing style is really good. You'll be captivated by this .. unusual but very, very fascinating novel. 

Keep in mind that this is no romance. If you think you can handle reading in detail about a man committing murder after murder, go for it. If not, this is not the book for you. 

You'll be shocked, stunned but it'll be a very interesting journey. 

I cannot wait to read the next volume. I'm dying to know how the story ends. 

Happy Reading!!




Rodd lives in Dallas, TX at the moment but hails from the sticks of Oklahoma. Check out his web presence at RODDCLARK.COM. Interested in the M/M Mystery, Romance and Thriller genres but has a varied interest in many good books. His books have a darkly distinctive voice and deep characterizations. His latest work is the Erotic Romance Thriller "Rubble and the Wreckage" and is currently working on the sequel which he hopes to have released in 2015.


June 25, 2015

Review & Giveaway! Silver Scars by Posy Roberts


You need people to love you, especially when you shove them away.


A bomb destroyed high-powered lawyer Gil Lemieux’s seemingly perfect life, and PTSD has ruled every decision since the explosion that left him scarred inside and outside. Moving home with his mom is meant to be a temporary measure, just like proofreading for a medical editorial firm is meant to be a stopgap. But two years after taking on the wrong court case, he’s still living in fear.

Keith Kramer might be based 1,500 miles away from Gil, but their shared work brings them together—a chance meeting that’s life-changing. Gil is drawn to Keith’s good looks and intelligence, but it’s his innate understanding that Gil is more than the scars on his skin that is truly attractive. He’s everything Gil used to be and more. It blows Gil’s mind that his attraction might be returned.

Only doubt could widen the distance between them. Keith’s hopefulness, borne out of surviving some tough challenges of his own, isn’t enough to bridge the distance alone. Gil will need to believe he has as much to offer as Keith if they’re to build a life together.



Wow. This book is an emotional rollercoaster. For the characters, but for me as well.

Gil has been a lawyer, a successful one, until an explosion took everything from him: his job, his financial security, his friends, his confidence leaving him an emotional mess, unable to function because of his severe PTSD.

Whomever meets Keith for the first time can never guess that behind his good looks and cheerful demeanor he hides a lot of pain, both physical and emotional. 

Two scarred, scared men create a bond that helps them overcome the dark moments when giving up seems like the best solution.

This is not your usual romantic story. It goes way beyond that. 

The love that binds Gil and Keith it’s obvious. They are good together and good for each other but the past and their conditions, sometimes make it hard for them to really let go and trust each other.

There’s always a sliver of doubt in their mind that, one day, the burden might become too much to handle and that love won’t be enough.

Those insecurities, though, are perfectly understandable and, if in other circumstances it might have annoyed me to see the characters constantly doubt every single thing or action, in this case, they only made me love both men even more.

They struggle. Each and every day is a constant uphill battle but they don’t give up.

There’s anger, despair, sadness and tears but, deep down, there’s always hope.

A perfect example of the fact that love goes beyond physical appearance and social status. When there’s true affection, mutual respect and understanding, nothing will ever be too hard.

I don’t know if I’m the only one who felt like this but, all the time while reading, I had the impression I was there, in the book, living it all alongside Gil and Keith.

They felt so real, their story felt real and I’m sure that, for someone out there, this is not a story at all.

It was my first Posy Roberts book but it won’t be my last. The writing style was really good even if a little bit more attention to details was needed.

All I can say is “wow”. This novel is absolutely worth reading and I highly recommend it. I was sorry it was over because I wasn’t ready to let them go yet.

Did you ever find a book that made you completely lose contact with reality? This is what Silver Scars did to me. I had a hard time disconnecting and I didn’t quite manage that because I keep thinking about it every now and then. Another one to add to my re-read list. 

I’m so glad I gave it a chance.

Happy Reading!!



Posy Roberts writes about romantic male love. Whether these characters are family men, drag queens, or lonely men searching for connections, they all find a home in her stories.

Posy is married to a man who makes sure she doesn’t forget to eat or sleep; her daughter, a budding author and dedicated Whovian, helps her come up with character names. When Posy’s not writing, she enjoys crafting, hiking, and singing spontaneously about the mundane, just to make normal seem more interesting.


June 6, 2015

Mikky's Reviews! For Mac by Brynn Stein

Buy Your Copy HERE
Amazon

Branson Farrell lost his parents when he was thirteen, and for the last ten years his brother, Mac, eight years his senior, has taken care of him. But Mac’s love came at a price. Both brothers were raised to believe being gay was completely unacceptable, and Branson has almost convinced himself he can be what Mac expects. When he looks at a man in a bar and Mac notices, Mac drags him off in horror.

Mac’s distress and disgust leads to a car accident that leaves Branson injured and Mac in a coma. Branson heals and stays at Mac’s bedside, but when Mac doesn’t recover, he is moved to a long-term care facility. There, Branson meets openly gay, confident, and attractive Liam Sullivan. Liam stirs feelings Branson thought he’d rid himself of, and to honor his brother, Branson fights tooth and nail against his attraction. When the cost of denying who he is becomes too high, Branson must battle a lifetime of hatred that’s been beaten into his body and mind to try for something of his own.





This had the potential of being one of the best stories I’ve read in a while. The idea behind it was brilliant. Unfortunately, the author kind of failed at putting her thoughts on paper.


For Mac is the story of a man who’s struggling to overcome his fears and what has been drilled into his mind all his life, all this while dealing with the fact that he might lose the only family he has left.

Mac is controlling, cold and sometimes downright abusive. Yes, he had a rough upbringing with mostly absent parents and, later, had to assume the role of a parent himself when they were gone.

He makes it his mission in life to dictate his younger brother’s life and make him as submissive as possible, resorting to fists when harsh words are not enough.

Branson is a complete mess, emotionally and psychologically. While very intelligent and perfectly capable of taking care of himself, he’s been under his older brother’s control for years and he’s reached a point where his every action or thought is conditioned by the fear of disappointing Mac.

He’s struggling with accepting who he is, unconsciously embarking on a path that will lead to his self destruction.

Liam. Well, Liam was a little bit to perfect for my taste. He’s good looking, has the perfect, supportive family, his childhood has been perfect and he’s out and proud. He’s also this compassionate soul who’s willing to give everything without asking for anything in return. See my point?

Let’s get to the story.

This novel has been a huge pile of contradictions interspersed with incorrect details. But we’ll get to those in a minute.

Two of my biggest petpeeves could be found in this book- the skipping of large periods of time and making a subject sound so important and then just brushing it off.

Dear authors- DON’T do that. It’s annoying as hell.

I’ve ranted about the time thing over and over again and I’ll do it once more. I absolutely hate it when I’m reading and, all of a sudden, a few weeks/months/years have passed, the story and the characters are at a completely new stage and you don’t give any clue as to what might have happened during that period and how they have reached this point. God, why?!?!

Think about it this way – you’re talking to someone, you listen to their story and, just like that, with no explanation, they disappear, only to return a certain period of time later, completely changed and refusing to give you any details about what has happened and where they’ve been all this time but pretending to move on just like that. 

Frustrating, huh? Well, it frustrates me also whenever this happens in a book. So, don’t.

Then, there is the matter of making something sound so important, like it’s an essential detail in the development of the story, and then just brush it off like it didn’t even happened.

Why make such a big deal out of it in the first place? 

See, these things might not seem important to you but, to a curious mind like mine, they are and it drives me up a freakin’ wall when I can’t get any kind of detail.

Now, let’s get back to what I was saying before about the incorrect details.

A piece of advice - when choosing to talk about a medical condition in your book, ALWAYS make sure you have the facts straight. In cases like this, Google is definitely NOT your friend. You can use it just to gain some generic knowledge but, if you want to get into details, try talking to someone that can actually give you some accurate info. 

A heart can be revived with electrical shocks only so many times until it completely ceases any activity for a number of reasons.

While Mac and Branson’s story is sad and heartbreaking, I really couldn’t get into it. All their lives before the accident are explained in fifteen or twenty pages in the beginning and then, it goes on and on about Bran’s struggle to cope with Mac’s condition and his feelings.

Details kept popping here and there that took me completely by surprise because I had no idea where to place them and how to connect them.

There was a discontinuity between each phrase, each fragment and a lot of jumping from one thing to another that made it very difficult to keep up with what was going on.

I really, really tried to like it, to ignore all these things but it didn’t work.

Only in the last 25% of the book I started to “feel” the story but I was disappointed again in the end.

This was my first Brynn Stein book and, while not overly impressed with her writing style, I WILL pick up her other stories because the ideas behind them are worth the struggle, in my opinion.

I’m not saying you shouldn’t read this novel. Like I said, the story is beautiful and sad and heartbreaking. It just didn’t work out for me.

Happy Reading!



I've always loved to write and wrote fan fiction before I even knew what it was called. When computers came along, with online communities and places to publish fan fiction, I wrote even more. Then a friend convinced me to try to have an altered version of an AU (alternate universe, meaning all but original) published. My manuscript was accepted and now I'm a 'published author'.



June 3, 2015

Release Day Blitz! Follow Me Down, Twisted Love #2 by A. Meredith Walters


The sequel to Lead Me Not, this dangerously sexy second installment in the Twisted Love series continues Aubrey and Maxx’s love story, from New York Times bestselling author A. Meredith Walters—who “writes the most beautifully flawed characters that still have you swooning” (Sawyer Bennett, USA TODAY bestselling author of the Off series).

Aubrey Duncan has loved…and lost. Should she follow a heart that’s betrayed her or a head that tells her to let go?

Maxx Demelo’s addiction almost destroyed him. It ruined his life and, most importantly, his relationship with the only girl he ever loved.

He has vowed to become the man Aubrey Duncan deserves. Even if he has to tear himself apart to do it. So he enters rehab, trying to fix the parts of him that are shattered as he longs to be healthy and whole.

Aubrey lost everything because she chose to listen to her heart. Now she has sworn to put herself first, to heal in the only way that she can…far away from Maxx and his demons.

But just as Aubrey is starting over, Maxx is released from rehab and thrust back into her world, determined to prove how much they still need each other. And the chaos that had defined them threatens to unleash once again…

But a heart, no matter how broken, is impossible to ignore.



Renee walked beside me, her chin tucked into the collar of her jacket. "It'll get better, Aubrey. I promise. This is your second chance. Your time for something more." 

I hoped she was right. i was desperate for that something better.

I can be so much more for you. I want to be everything you could ever want.

It had only been a matter of weeks since Maxx had said those words, his intense blue eyes staring into mine, and had given me his heart. Only weeks since he had made promises he hadn't been able to keep. It was such a short amount of time for my entire life to change.

But it had changed. And now all I could do was accept it and move on. If only it were that simple.

My eyes were drawn to the brick wall that ran along the edge of the green. The once vibrant colors of Maxx's street art had faded, but I could still the painting of a woman walking off a cliff. The word Compulsion was woven into her familiar blond hair. It was a small part of the complicated man who continued to own me. The tiny, intricate X's dotted through the picture seemed to scream at me. Taunting me with their presence.

Even when he was gone, Maxx was everywhere. His art. His love. His chaos.

I couldn't escape him And I was terrified that in the darkest recesses of my heart I still didn't want to.



In this dangerously sexy novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Find You in the Dark, a straight-laced college student meets a handsome but enigmatic stranger who lures her into an underground club scene, where she finds it difficult to resist temptation 

Aubrey Duncan understands loss. She knows what rock bottom looks like, and she is determined to crawl back up to the top after the sudden death of her younger sister. She blames herself for her part in the tragedy, convinced that she could have done something, anything, to help her.

In her effort to gain redemption, Aubrey starts fresh at Longwood University and facilitates an addiction support group, hoping she can support someone else in the way she failed her sister. But what she doesn’t count on is an all-consuming fascination with group member Maxx Demelo, a gorgeous, blond, blue-eyed enigma who hides dark secrets behind a carefully constructed mask. He only reveals what he wants others to see. But Aubrey glimpses another Maxx hidden below the surface—a Maxx who is drowning in his own personal hell.

As Aubrey and Maxx develop an attraction too intense to ignore, he pulls her into the dark underbelly of the city club scene, where she is torn by her desire to save him and an inexplicable urge to join him in his downward spiral. Worst of all, she is beginning to love everything she should run away from—a man who threatens to ignite in her a fire that could burn her alive…



The New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Contemporary and Paranormal romance including The Find You in the Dark and Bad Rep series as well as the upcoming stand alone romance, Reclaiming the Sand, and a dark new adult series for Gallery Books.

A. Meredith spent ten years as a counselor for at risk teens and children. First working at a Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault program and then later a program for children with severe emotional and mental health issues. Her former clients and their stories continue to influence every aspect of her writing.

When not writing (or being tortured with all manner of beauty products at the hand of her very imaginative and extremely girly daughter), she is eating chocolate, watching reality television that could rot your brain and reading a smutty novel or two.

A. Meredith is represented by Michelle Johnson with the Inklings Literary Agency.