Showing posts with label m/m. Show all posts

Release Date: March 22, 2021
Purchase here: https://amzn.to/3lEF413
Add to Goodreads here: https://bit.ly/3roFo6y
Vino & Veritas Series Page: https://hearteyespress.com/wotn#/vino-and-veritas/
Cover Design: Christine Coffey

BLURB:

From award-winning author Garrett Leigh comes a gorgeous new romance in the True North world! Think: great food, burly men and good times. Beards are optional but encouraged.

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

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

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

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

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

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

EXCERPT:

Jax kisses me. In my wildest dreams I’m expecting it, but it still catches me off guard. His lips are soft, but demanding, and there’s nothing I don’t want to give him.

So I kiss him back.

I slide my hands under his layers of winter clothing and pull him close, and we kiss and kiss and kiss as if it isn’t the first time we’ve done it.

His lips feel like home.

His soft touch dances along my jaw.

I want to kiss him forever, but we run out of air.

Startled, I draw back and instantly find myself lost in Jax’s blazing stare. His gaze usually calms me—it really is like the deepest, bluest ocean. But right now, his eyes are stormy and hot. I want to dive back in headfirst, and for once what I want makes sense.

And it’s right here. I don’t need words. I stand, cup a hand around the back of his neck, and kiss him again. Jax makes another low sound, and the fact that he’s spent the night in my bed to babysit me stops mattering. Shadows fade. Heat draws us ever closer, and it’s easy to pretend we spent all night doing this. I can’t contemplate that it has to end.

But it does end.

Jax pulls back with a rueful smile, cheeks flushed, breathing hard. “I have to go. I promised Jerry I wouldn’t be late again.”

The mention of Jerry jars something in my brain enough to form a sentence that has nothing to do with how fast my heart is beating. “How did last night go?”

“Okay, I think.” Jax steps away. “Dude talked so much I stopped listening, but the apartment was all right. I can move in whenever I want.”

I should be happy for him. I am happy for him. He didn’t deserve to lose all his things in the hostel fire, and it sucks he had to take help from a stranger when he needed so badly to depend on himself. But I’m still dazed from his kiss. I say the first thing that comes into my head. Raw. No filter. “I’m gonna miss you.”

He gives me a soft grin. “I’ll miss you too.”

Then he leaves, and the reality that it might be the last time we do this hits me like a train. Jerry’s buddy’s apartment is probably outside of the city, closer to where Jax needs to be for his work. It isn’t a million miles away—nothing in Vermont ever is—but it’s not waking up to find Jax in my bed. It’s not drinking his weird tea together or eating dinner on the couch with him. It’s not opening my eyes every morning to feel the comforting hum of his presence.

It’s not being there to let him know, every day, that he fucking matters.

So tell him now.

I lurch from my bed and snag a T-shirt from the clean laundry pile I haven’t even thought about putting away. My shoes are by the front door. I stamp into them and fish my keys from the dish. Then I make a run for it down the stairs and out into the morning gloom.

The sidewalk is icy from the plummeting temperatures that are starting to move in from the mountains. But I’m a Vermonter; I know how to handle that shit. I dash to the parking lot where Jax is waiting for Jerry, his broad back to me as he contemplates the ground.

I grab his arm. “You don’t have to leave.”

REVIEW:

4 Stars!

I’m really loving reading all the books from the World of True North, it’s keeping me in this world I love so much while introducing me to so many new authors I might not have had the chance to read previously. Heartscape is no different, this was the first book I’ve read by Garrett Leigh and I don’t think it will be my last!

Heartscape is Tanner and Jax’s story and unlike the start of the first book in the Vino & Veritas series, this book had some angst! Which I love! This book had the perfect amount of heartache and pain for Tanner and Jax to sort through to get their happy ending and I was so intrigued the whole way through the book.

This was a really cute story even though it was a bit sad at times thanks to the heartache and pain both of the characters were dealing with and with both of them running away from their pasts. Tanner and Jax were so adorable together even when you thought that they might not work due to the things they were both dealing with separately.

I really liked how Garrett Leigh dealt with Tanner’s depression and I really appreciate that it didn’t just go away overnight when he fell for Jax. It takes him a while to completely understand his condition and I thought it was written realistically.

I loved going on this journey with Jax and Tanner and watch them both escape their painful pasts and find happiness together.

I would recommend this book if you love M/M romance and don’t have any triggers for depression, PTSD and toxic/abusive relationships.

*ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own*

Say Yes by J.R. Gray

Publisher: Self

Release Date (Ebook & Print): July 24

Note: Say Yes was originally published in an alternative form by Omni Lit Publishing on December 1, 2015.

Length (word count): 35K words, 126 pages

Subgenre: Contemporary M/M BDSM

All buy links or pre-order links:

Publisher | Amazon

BLURB:

James failed.

He tried to be what they wanted.

He tried to deny it.

He tried to be a good Catholic boy…but it’s become too much.

He craves pain, submission.

He’s denied himself far too long, and it’s eating him alive.

Charles thrives off the exchange of power. He knows the world revolves around control. It’s given and taken like currency, in business and in pleasure. He won’t get attached, though, or so he tells himself, until James turns his world upside down. He’s defiant and snarky, but Charles can taste the submission on him.

Charles holds the key to his salvation but James has to Say Yes.

What are other authors saying about Say Yes?

Author Kerry Heavens says: “Yes - to the delicious slow burn which goes head to head with an intense urgency. Yes - to James' soft vulnerability that meets its match in Charles' steely determination. Yes - to the forbidden vs the shameless. Yes - to more...I'm saying YES!”

EXCERPT:

Inside the dressing room, Charles caught James by the tie and yanked him closer. James stood without a hint of fear. With his reputation, there weren’t many left who didn’t fear him.

“Why don’t you stay?” It had to be voluntary. There was nothing if it wasn’t. Any man could get off on force. He wanted the control freely given. It was so much more erotic.

“Need help putting your dick in your pants?” James’ lips curled up a hint.

“I was thinking more along the lines of help with you on your knees.” He stared at the tie on James’ neck. Charles wanted to string him up with it. It had been a long time since he’d let loose with a man.

“I think I’ll ruin my suit if I kneel in here.” He was witty. Another point in his favor.

James was quite a bit younger than Charles was, but he made up for it in cocky. His dirty blond hair fell into his eyes, enough for Charles to grab a handful of. Even if he’d never preferred blonds, there was a first time for everything.

“All the more reason not to be wearing it.”

“It’s my job to get you out of your suit, not for you to get me out of mine.” His dark green eyes shone in the low light behind rectangular glasses. He had such a thing for glasses. Charles knew he was being toyed with. It was an unusual sensation for him as he usually did the toying.

“It’s not going to be any work at all for you to get me out of my suit. I think yours will be the challenge.”

GIVEAWAY:

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

When not staying up all night writing, J.R. Gray can be found at the gym where it's half assumed he is a permanent resident to fulfill his self-inflicted masochism. A dominant and a pilot, Gray finds it hard to be in the passenger seat of any car. He frequently interrupts real life, including normal sleep patterns and conversations, to jot down notes or plot bunnies. Commas are the bane of his existence even though it's been fully acknowledged they are necessary, they continue to baffle and bewilder. If Gray wasn't writing…well, that's not possible. The buildup of untold stories would haunt Gray into an early grave, insanity or both. The idea of haunting has always appealed to him. J.R. Gray is genderqueer and prefers he/him pronouns.

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Defiance

The Protectors #9

By Sloane Kennedy

Hosted by Jo&Isalovebooks Blog

SYNOPSIS

All I ever wanted was to serve and protect my country. It ended up costing me everything…

At 49, Vincent St. James has learned to live with the choices he’s made, even if he isn’t always proud of them. After the military he was practically born into decided his sexuality was more important than his impeccable service record, Vincent lost everything, including the man he’d planned to spend the rest of his life with.

And a man with nothing to live for has nothing to lose.

With a bone deep hatred of all things government, Vincent found another way to serve his country, but it too came at a steep cost that he never could have foreseen. Dealing in secrets and death means there’s always someone waiting around the next corner trying to either take his place or bury their secrets along with his body. Even if he wanted out, it’s far too late for that.

When he’s given the chance to help out a friend who once had his back when others didn’t, he jumps at the chance to repay the favor. Even if it means protecting the kind of man he despises most…a power-hungry politician looking to push his own agenda on an unsuspecting public.

I made a terrible choice three years ago and it cost me the only person who ever really mattered to me. But maybe there’s another way I can make things right…

30-year-old Nathan Wilder can’t take back the moment he betrayed his twin brother, but he can try to make sure that the legacy of hate that drove him to turn on Brody never has a chance to rear its ugly head again. And if that means going against his powerful father’s right-wing political constituency in a down and dirty race for a seat in the U.S. Senate, then so be it. But when the threats that had been limited to harmless emails start taking an uglier turn, culminating in a violent attack that leaves no doubt as to the assailant’s intent, Nathan is thrown into the direct path of a mysterious and dangerous man who may end up forcing Nathan to confront truths he just isn’t ready to face yet.

Protecting him was supposed to be a favor for a friend and nothing more. Once he’s safe, I’ll let him go. I have to…

Protecting Nathan was supposed to be a walk in the park for a guy like Vincent. But nothing about the younger man is what he’d been expecting, especially the long-dead feelings Nathan stirs in him.

The feelings that aren’t just about protection.

Which is a problem, because while the threat against Nathan is temporary, the danger that’s become a way of life for Vincent is just waiting for the next thing it can take from him. Caring about someone means painting a target on their back and Vincent is done losing people he loves.

But letting Nathan go may not be as easy at seems…especially when Nathan decides to finally stand up and fight for what…and who he truly wants.

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REVIEW

5 stars for Defiance!

I love Sloane Kennedy’s books, that's no secret if you’ve seen my reviews before and Defiance did not disappoint! Sloane Kennedy has written another great romance that just pulls you in and makes you become invested in the characters lives.

Vincent and Nathan were perfect for each other, they were totally different but that’s what made them fit so perfectly together even with their age gap. Nathan is a character we’ve seen before in the Finding Series, he’s the estranged twin of Brody, who is in a relationship with Quinn Donovan and Beck Barretti. I always love seeing characters from other books make an appearance and with Sloane Kennedy’s stories being all connected in some way or another, this is something that always occurs and brings a smile to my face.

There is a threat against Nathan that has Vincent out to protect him from harm. This leads to the two men becoming closer with each other and start feeling that connection, Nathan is coming to terms with being gay after hiding it for his whole life while Vincent is finally allowing himself a second chance at love. These two men both help each other with their struggles and it’s written so perfectly. I felt all the emotions of both characters and I was drawn in.

I never wanted to stop reading and I wished I didn’t have to sleep or do work so I could've finished this book in one sitting. I really loved this story and I can’t wait to see what’s next. I highly recommend!

*ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review*

EXCERPT

As I was tucking my phone into my pocket, I saw Nathan grab his off the floor.

When he went to put it in his shirt pocket, I shook my head and said, “No, that stays here.”

“I need my phone,” Nathan said.

“You need it more than you need to breathe?” I asked impatiently. “Because it’s traceable.” I reached for it to take it away from him, but he stepped back. I got into his space and ripped the phone from his hand. “Is your career really more important than your life?” I ground out. “Because it sure as shit isn’t more important than mine.” I dropped the phone to the floor and made a move to crush it under my heel, but Nathan suddenly lunged forward.

“Don’t!” he yelled. My instincts took over and I grabbed him by the arms and swept his legs from underneath him, taking us both to the floor. He let out a whoosh of air as my body crashed down on his. Too late, I remembered the way he’d been holding his side after the earlier attack.

But I didn’t apologize.

“You lay your hands on me one more time-”

“My brother’s messages!” Nathan shouted, his voice thick with emotion.

“What?” I asked, startled.

Nathan drew in several breaths. “I want the phone because it has my brother’s voicemail messages on it,” he whispered. His whiskey-colored eyes met mine. “Please,” he murmured.

I suddenly became very aware of his hard body sprawled beneath mine. During the scuffle, one of my legs had gotten wedged between his, putting our cocks precariously close to one another. I had his hands pinned to the floor and I could feel his body trembling beneath mine.

I knew it was likely just the lingering shock, but I couldn’t deny what having him completely at my mercy was doing to me. Especially since he wasn’t fighting me. I hadn’t given much thought to whether or not Nathan was gay like his brother, but I sure as shit was thinking about it now.

“Please,” Nathan repeated, and a perverse part of me wondered what he was actually asking me for. I knew I needed to get off him, but I found myself reluctant to move. Nathan’s fingers flexed, drawing my gaze to them. It would be so easy to move my hands up to link my fingers with his. I shifted slightly to take the pressure off the knee that I had wedged between his legs, but the move caused my dick to brush his. I jerked my eyes to Nathan’s when I heard him let out the tiniest of whimpers.

“Let me up,” he suddenly said, and then he was pushing at me. I could have easily kept him there on the floor like that and taken what I wanted…a taste of him. But I shifted off him instead and then snatched his phone off the floor. Nathan struggled to his feet, but didn’t try to grab the phone again.

My brain told my fingers to drop the damn thing so I could crush it, because anything less wasn’t safe. But my body disobeyed the order and instead, I turned the phone off and handed it to Nathan. “Leave it off.”

I turned to head towards the hallway leading to the front door, but stopped when Nathan said, “Wait.”

I forced myself to turn around. “What?”

“I don’t even know your name.”

There were a million things I could have said to him, none of which included actually giving him my name. Just like with the phone, it wasn’t safe for him to know who I was.

“Vincent,” I said.

“Vincent,” Nathan murmured, more to himself than anything else. “Thank you, Vincent.”

I didn’t want his thanks. I didn’t want anything from him except to eliminate the threat against him and then get the hell away from him.

“Let’s go,” was all I said, though, and then I turned away, not really caring if he followed.