Just as I was reaching the light...

Yesterday at this time I was looking forward to 10 0'clock so I could go home and start my weekend. Now, I'm wondering how things could get so fucked up in just a few hours. Life was going pretty good, very busy but actually good but that all changed earlier today. Now I've got so much on my mind that I can barely stand it. I'm not sure what's going to happen during that next few days/weeks and that scares me so very much. So many thoughts are whirling in my head, even though I know there's nothing wrong with my heart I have such a pressure in my chest that it feels like I can barely breathe. My hands feel weak and shaky and I'd just like to find a dark corner by myself to just sit and cry and scream. But I CAN'T!!!!!!!!

I've always had to be the strong one in my fucked up crazy family and no matter how things go that's still my job. I can't lose it when I have to be strong for everyone else.

I hate the thought that I'm actually writing this but I need to get some of this out. There's no way I can talk in person without totally losing it so this will have to do. Please pray for me so that I find the strength to go on without totally going off the deep end. Please pray for my daughter despite the fact that she's brought everything that's happening now on herself... and us. Please pray for the kiddies so that their happy life isn't messed up and for my hubby whose mental issues will make this an even more difficult thing to go thru.

Just... please pray for us!

Friday... fun, sexy and a 56 too

It has been a busy, busy week for me and even though Friday means I go back to work tomorrow I'm happy for TGIF. You know it's got to be bad if I'm looking forward to getting back to the office. LOL

I haven't had much of a chance to visit or post here on the blog so I thought I'd just put some fun into Friday. Hope ya'll are having a better week than me and that your weekend is absolutely fabulous.

This first video starts a bit slow but I enjoyed it when my son shared it with me.



What could be better than potato chips and a fun, jazzy beat? Listen and enjoy!

Social medias can be loads of fun!

That Johnny... such a playful, naughty boy!

I've been doing a lot of reading but until the kiddies leave it's hard to find the time or energy to sit down and put my thoughts on paper. Although with school starting Tuesday (and Emma finally going into Pre-K) I may have some time after all. We'll see. For sure I'll keep reading, reading, reading...

It's been a while, a long while, since I posted a Friday 56 so I thought I'd add one here now.


Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like)


Today's Friday 56 is from Life Lessons by Kaje Harper.

"Sorry. I just... I was thinking. Something bad happened at school yesterday, and I guess I'm distracted."

Available @ MLR Press

Not a sexy excerpt but I'm enjoying the story so far. The heat is building between the teacher and the closeted cop and I expect things will only get hotter!

And what would a fun Friday post be without some delicious candy to bring some spicy sweetness...

Getting ready for some Friday night fun!

This boy was a bit too naughty Friday night... Discipline time!

Naughty boys who please their Master's always get rewarded... time to play!

TGIF and Happy Weekend!!

It's mini time... once again

The Angel of 13th Street by Eden Winters
Get it @ Torquere Press
Contemporary/Novella

4 stars
I enjoyed this story. Noah is a former hustler who's made it his mission to help out the "boys" on the street. Jeremy is all alone and living on the streets while trying to finish his senior year of high school and stay out of the clutches of the local pimp. When Noah comes to his rescue both of their lives will be forever changed. The protags are interesting and likable and the slow progression of their relationship worked well, especially since Jeremy is so young. The subplot of Noah's connection to the bad guy of the story was good also. Angsty, sweet, sexy with a nice romantic feel as well as a bit of action.

Breaking Faith by M. King
Currently out of print but set for re-release
@ Dreamspinner Press in Oct 2011
Contemporary/Novel

4 stars
This book had been sitting on my TBR for ages, since 2008 to be precise. I'm so glad I finally read it. While it's not the typical M/M romance it is a wonderfully written story about two young men falling in love and dealing with some very difficult situations. If you're looking for a lighthearted romance this won't be the book for you but anyone wanting to read a well-written, emotional love story that also incorporates the effects of child/spousal abuse, homophobia and the harsh realities of life for an inmate and his loved ones then I definitely recommend Breaking Faith.

The end of their story left me wanting more as it's really a new beginning for them and I wanted to see how they adjust to finally being together after having been apart for most of their relationship. I'm looking forward to the sequel which is to be released hopefully later this year or early next year.

Allspice: Recipe of Love by Sean Michael
Get it @ Torquere Press
Contemporary/Short Story

3.5 stars
This was a cute story. Jack's dealing with a break-up when his barely legal daughter shows up pregnant. When they go meet with the baby's Daddy it's love/lust all around when he meets Daniel, the boy's uncle. This quick read is sweet and humorous at times and since it's a Sean Michael story it's also quite hot too!

Make A Right by Willa Okati
Get it @ Loose Id
Contemporary/Novel

3 stars
I had a hard time with this story. It's very angst-filled which normally isn't a problem for me but coupled with a protagonist that I just didn't like made for a difficult read. It's well-written and the storyline overall was interesting but I was just never able to fully connect with Cade and therefor his relationship with Tuck didn't engage me.

Clouds and Rain by Zahra Owens
Get it @ Dreamspinner Press
Contemporary/Western/Novel

3 stars
This was a nice story about an older rancher falling for the young ranch-hand he hires. I found both protags likable and their slowly developing May/December romance worked well for me. What I didn't like was the addition of the supposed best friend and the cheating ex-lover. I know I would have enjoyed Gable and Flynn's story much more without those two in it. I also really like this Anne Cain cover.

A few minis to start the new month...

I've been catching up on reviews over on GRs and since I did start this blog to review books I guess I better post some here. Here's a small sampling of what I read during the first couple of weeks in July.


Hot Head by Damon Suede

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I had a hard time with this one. The writing was good but I just never connected with either character and felt the porn plot line was a bit unbelievable. For me the story dragged during the first half but the second half did get better. Overall a nice story and I'd definitely read the author's next release.

The Locker Room by Amy Lane

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

4.5 stars


I absolutely loved this story. I love Amy's writing style and once again she's created two wonderful guys whose relationship completely engaged me from beginning to end. I found the cast of supporting characters varied and interesting and even the obvious "bad guy" worked in the storyline. Lots of angst at times but it was balanced well with the sweet love and hot sex. My one complaint and the reason it's a 4.5 was the ending. I wanted a clearer picture of their future together! That's my personal preference and may not bother all reading. Overall a great story. Recommended.

Deefur Dog by RJ Scott

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Really sweet story about a widower falling for his young daughter's nanny. I liked the characters and the storyline overall was engaging. The angst as he deals with the loss of his partner and falling in love again were well-done and the antics of Deefur add a nice lighthearted touch to the story. Very nice!

The Scientist and the Supermodel by Tara Lain

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It's been a while since I read anything other than a M/M but I have to read a "menage with girl cooties" for a challenge I'm in. This is the prequel to that book and contains a brief M/M/F scene. Up to that point I was enjoying the book as I liked both of the protags but that scene just didn't work for me. Amazingly though it wasn't so much the fact that the third is a girl it was just that I didn't like the character. As a trio they didn't appeal to me. Hopefully when I read the actual menage book, Genetic Attraction, it will be better since I've heard/seen good things about it.

Between Sinners and Saints by Marie Sexton

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Despite the fact that I dislike reading stories dealing with the overly religious and their anti-gay feelings I totally loved this story. Once again Marie has delivered a wonderfully written love story featuring interesting and very likable men. I loved the slow pace of their relationship and the touch of angst (on both of their parts) was just right. Despite their attitudes I also liked Levi's family. Overall a great read from beginning to end!

Conquest by S.J. Frost

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this entertaining and well-written story. The characters are interesting and the relationship between the two men kept me engaged throughout. This book has a bit of angst, lots of sweetness and love and just the right amount of heat. Definitely worth reading and I'm looking forward to the other books in the series.

The Nobleman and the Spy by Bonnie Dee & Summer Devon

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed The Gentleman and the Rogue and Seducing Stephen but this story just didn't grab me as those did. My initial reaction was... "It's 1866, you're a secret agent/spy and within minutes of meeting your target you're rolling around the floor in a cleaning closet. Really??" and it didn't get much better for me. Although the writing was good and the sex scenes undeniably hot neither protag really appealed to me.


I'm off this week since we were supposed to go to Miami today but since Chris had a scheduling conflict at his job that's been cancelled. So I'll just be home playing around on the 'net... and doing laundry, cleaning, getting the brakes done on my car and trying not to pass out from the heat as we work in the yard. Lots and lots to do. Thankfully the kiddies aren't here this week so that frees me up quite a bit.

Happy Monday!

The latest releases in M/M books...

The Truth About Al by M.L. Rhodes
Get it @ Amber Allure
Contemporary/Series/Novel

Blurb
Book two in the Rocky Mountain High: Campus Hearts series

To most, Al Baxter’s life seems charmed—he’s got looks, smarts, friends, and is headed to law school in the fall. But under the surface, things are far from perfect. Al’s mother is pursuing a career in national politics, and when her staff uncovers a potentially devastating secret Al’s been keeping from his family for the past four years, a painful rift forms in the once close-knit Baxter clan. Wanting to do the right thing to support his mother’s career, but conflicted over his growing desire to live his life in the open on his own terms, the last thing Al’s expecting, or needs, is to fall for stubborn and oh-so-serious Elliot Cullimore. Especially since Elliot has a protective fortress the size of Texas built around his heart.

Raised by a struggling single mother, Elliot Cullimore learned early that nothing in life was easy. That truth hit home when, at the age of twelve, a life-threatening illness left him partially deaf, making his teenage years difficult as he learned to cope with his new reality. Now, he works long hours to put himself through college. And he holds no illusions about ever finding love. He knows from painful experience that being a nerdy, hard-of-hearing guy doesn’t exactly make him a hot commodity. When he meets Al Baxter, however, he’s blindsided by his feelings for the man. The trouble is, Al is exactly the type of guy Elliot swore he’d never be with—rich, entitled, and one who has always had everything he ever wanted fall at his feet. And worse, Al’s hiding who he really is and pretending to be something he’s not. How can Elliot trust his heart to a man who can’t live his own life with honesty?

But for the first time, Al finally knows what he wants, and he’s willing to fight for Elliot. Even if it means risking everything...

Also new @ Amber Allure
Between Hell and El Paso by Derek Adams
Tales Of The Midnight Pearl Brotherhood: Newblood Initiate by Adrianna Dane

Psychic Moon by M.D. Grimm
Get it @ Dreamspinner Press
Contemporary/Paranormal/Shifter/Novella

Blurb

Humane Officer Derek Wiliams has been toying with the idea of asking out Brian O’Donogue since the veterinarian started working at the Pet Rescue Center two years ago. So why hasn’t he made his move? It’s complicated… but it has something to do with the fact that Derek occasionally likes to run around on four legs instead of two.

Recovering from an abusive relationship and hiding supernatural abilities of his own, Brian takes a chance and agrees to go on a date with Derek. The ensuing relationship is better than either of them could have hoped—until a rogue wolf shifter attacks Brian while he’s walking his dogs. The abrupt attack forces Derek to confront his feelings, but the danger isn’t over. The rogue shifter is out there, and he’s hunting them.

Also new @ Dreamspinner Press
Baron's Last Hunt by S.A. Garcia
Crying for the Moon by Sarah Madison
In the Wings by Michael St. Anthony
Moonlight, Tiger, and Smoke by Connie Bailey
New Linen by Jaime Samms
Twisted by Jake Mactire

Dance with Me by Heidi Cullinan
Get it @ Loose Id
Contemporary/Novel

Blurb

Ed Maurer has bounced back, more or less, from the neck injury that permanently benched his semi-pro football career, but every time he turns around, dance instructor Laurie Parker is in his way. But when a bargain lands him as an assistant in Laurie’s ballroom dancing class, everything changes.

As Laurie and Ed lose themselves in dance, their lives continue to spin around them: Ed’s injury makes it clear he’s nowhere near recovery, Laurie feels the pressure by friends and family to perform once more, and the community center that has become such an important part of both their worlds threatens to close. Alone, they haven’t had the strength or spirit to face what life has hurled at them. But as the turns of their personal paths lead them time and again to one another, Ed and Laurie begin to think that if they dance this dance together, they might be able to succeed.

Also new @ Loose Id
Bringing Him Home by Penny Brandon

Breaking Cover by Kaje Harper
Get it @ MLR Press
Contemporary/Series/Novel

Blurb
Book two in the Life Lessons series

For homicide detective Mac, it's been a good year. Having Tony to go home to makes him a better cop and a better person. For Tony, it's been hard being in love with a man he can't touch in public. Evasions and outright lying to friends and family take a little of the shine off his relationship with Mac, but Tony is determined to make it work.

As the Minneapolis Police Department moves into a hot, humid summer, Mac is faced with a different challenge. A killer has murdered two blond women, and the police have no real clues. Mac hates to think that another murder may be the only way they'll make progress with the case. But when that murder happens, it hits close to home for Tony. And suddenly Mac faces an ultimatum: come out into the sunlight and stand beside Tony as his lover, or walk away and live without a piece of his heart.

Also new @ MLR Press
As Time Goes By by Anna Lee
Green River by Jardonn Smith
I Imagine the Quay by Maggie Veness
The Six Year Itch by Neil Plakcy

Push Pull by Joely Skye
Get it @ Samhain Publishing
Contemporary/Paranormal/Shifter/Series/Novella

Blurb
Book two in the Wolf Town series

Despite living together in Wolf Town for three months, Scott Lund and Rory MacIntyre share only one piece of common ground. Love. For Rory, life is all about connection—family, his pack, home. But for Scott, connections spell danger—for himself and everyone he cares about.

The bottom line is, Scott has only a small window of time to treasure every moment with his lover. In the not-too-distant future, real life will come knocking and he’ll be forced to return to his isolated existence.

Inevitably, a shadow from Scott’s past edges too close for comfort. Yet Scott discovers his plan to cut and run isn’t as simple as it sounds. Especially when Rory—and everyone else in Wolf Town—seems determined to convince him that holding on will cause a lot less damage than letting go.

Talon and the Falconer by Gale Stanley
Get it @ Silver Publishing
Contemporary/Paranormal/Shifter/Vampire/Series/Novella

Blurb
Book three in the Symbiotic Mates series

Talon, a vampire-hawk is shot down over Lycan territory. Ben, a Lycan falconer, rescues him and helps him escape. When Ben is injured, Talon returns the favor. Neither man realizes they've forged a connection that can never be broken, and their only hope for survival is as mates.

Also new @ Silver Publishing
Mate Test by Amber Kell
Rearranging Stars by Diane Adams

Hearts Under Fire by H.J. Rayne & Kelly Wyre
Get it @ Torquere Press
Contemporary/Novel

Blurb

Ten years ago, Maxwell you-can-just-call-me Clark thought he would spend his life as a military man. But his world turned into a nightmare when a suicide bomber destroyed Clark's career. It's been a long road to recovery, littered with surgery, alcohol, and secrets, but Clark finally has peace. His bar, Glow, is the place to be in the city of New Amsterdam, the son of the mayor employs Clark as a confidential information man, and Clark’s side venture as part-owner of a BDSM club is quite the profitable release. Clark’s life is a good one, so long as no one gets too close.

Then a man walks into Glow who will forever change Clark’s rules and reality. Thinking Professor Daniel Germain is just another handsome face ripe for Clark’s kind of good time, Clark puts on his smoothest moves. When the professor turns him down, Clark goes on the hunt, and what he discovers shows him that even the deepest wounds can be healed by submitting to love. 

Also new @ Torquere Press
Demonic Harmony by Rob Knight
Drawn by Sean Michael
Green Mountain Boys by Jay Lygon
Love On the Edge by Kate Roman
Used, Rare and Limited Editions by Chris Owens

Jack's Way by Em Woods
Get it @ Total-E-Bound
Contemporary/Novella

Blurb

When a down-on-his-luck architect meets a closeted cowboy with a cranky horse, can they find common ground or will ghosts from the past destroy their future?

Ben Morillo, a prominent architect, has a good life. He works for one of the leading firms in New Hampshire, owns his flat and stays out of the lime light. That is until his ex-lover shows up at his work months after their violent break-up, making a scene that gets Ben fired.

Jack Marr, ranch owner and closeted cowboy, can’t believe his bad luck when he has to pick up the handsome friend of his veterinarian. Convinced Ben won’t stick around, Jack struggles to protect his heart before the attraction between them leaves him broken.

Ben and Jack must feel their way through an amused veterinarian, a cranky horse and too many misunderstandings, but in the end, will Ben be able prove that Jack’s way is the only way for him?

Reader Advisory: This story has been previously released as part of the Saddle Up 'N Ride anthology by Total-E-Bound

Also new @ Total-E-Bound
Blood Slave by A.J. Llewellyn & D.J. Manly
Forgiving Jason by Serena Yates