Talon P.S.'s Blog, page 23

BACKSTAGE WITH THE TWINS – THE LITTLE BOOK THAT COULDN’T

BACKSTAGE WITH THE TWINS – THE LITTLE BOOK THAT COULDN’T

I suppose many authors have that one book they put out that just doesn’t fit in with anything else they’ve done. And often, some time later, once they have a few good works under their name, that book gets pulled and tucked away like the dirty little secret they hope their readers will one day forget ever existed. A lucky few will continue to remain in publication, because as odd as it is, it has its own little following like the stragglers of the caribou migration that never seems to end with readers still trickling in.

For us, it’s DEAR SOLDIER, WITH LOVE. It’s a very odd book because it doesn’t even have a genre to fit in. It thinks it’s a military romance, but without a hero and heroine, no protagonist or MC character to fall in love with or loath for that matter its fails in that classification. Rather it’s about a love letter who’s author can’t find its destined soldier, so it instead gets passed from one soldier to the next, leaving a kiss and a bit of hope along the way to remind them they are deserving of love. The letter travels as the synonymously named: The Beloved Woman, who’s Soldier has gone missing and hasn’t returned home. So in one last attempt to reach him, she reaches out to those who may have lost the one who was supposed to be waiting for them.

It sounds like a romance right? But by romantic reader law it is anything but. The woman isn’t even in the story just her letter and her soldier is missing, so it is only those who pass the letter around and the affair is between love letter and the myriad of correspondences that begin to tag along through the journey.

Of course like any love letter, the language is intimate and like many men, the correspondences are just as much with a few having their fun with some very naughty suggestions and lack of manners. Because it contains explicit language, Amazon insists its erotica, but it’s not. Not a single act of love making was delved into in this books.

 

The letter travels from Army to Marine, to Med-Lift, to Navy, and then to the Air Force. It talks of the dangers of being in the front lines and backlines of an active war delivered with only the small details some may overlook their associations, yet I have watched War Veterans as they read this very book; watched as they chuckled silently, wiped a tear before it could fall and nod their head because they recall do all do it’. Yet this little book that couldn’t still doesn’t entirely qualify as a wartime fiction, because it never says what war, or what kind of war or where they are. It’s left to the veteran and his experience to put the story where he was. So in effect it is a reader’s personal genre.

So how did a book that has no genre and follows no rules of story arc come to be written?

Well, Dear Soldier started off as a fictitious prop in another book, in BECOMING HIS SLAVE one of its main characters Katianna Dumas was a writer, and she got a scholarship on a short story she wrote called: Dear Soldier, With Love. While BHS was undergoing editing, we decided to write out the short story as a bonus read but after writing out the 6ooo word story we got a request to expand it and submit it for a Valentine Anthology, with only two weeks to write and edit it we still managed to get it up to the minimum word count of 18K. For all the reasons above it was quiet quickly turned down, LOL. But given we’d already come this far we decided to finish it. So we went back through the story, filled it out where needed, and had it ready just in time to publish it on Veterans Day. November 11, 2011.

                                      

 

Since book 1’s release, Dear Soldier, With Love II: A Lost Soldier Named Grey has been published. Unlike the series’ starter point, book two actually lets the reader get to know one of those men who’d met the Beloved Woman’s letter. And the war time romance rules get adhered to, this time. Nevertheless, the Dear Soldier series won’t end here, there are two more planned for release and will finally give the book that started it all some closure— and a returned soldier.

 

 

 

 

BOOKS ‘n COZY SPOTS BOOK REVIEWS – Night at the Wax Museum by Delilah Devlin

 5 ~ Stars!
Review of ~ NIGHT AT THE WAX MUSEUM by Delilah Devlin

Paranormal / Romance / FF

 (copy purchased from amazon)

 

Reviewed by Terry ~ for Books ‘N Cozy Spots Book Reviews, www.Talon-ps.com

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

 

A museum security guard falls for a vampire trapped in wax museum exhibit.

This is a 5000-word erotic LGBT short story. It may be short in length, but it’s not short in passion!

 

 

http://www.amazon.com/Night-Museum-erotic-short-story-ebook/dp/B00T0SMG8C/?tag=delidevl-20

This short is also part of an anthology – Girls Who Bite Lesbian Vampire Erotica

http://www.amazon.com/Girls-Who-Bite-Lesbian-Vampire/dp/1573447153/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/girls-who-bite-delilah-devlin/1101004079?ean=9781573447157&itm=1&usri=9781573447157&cm_mmc=AFFILIATES-_-Linkshare-_-je6NUbpObpQ-_-10:1&r=1

 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

 

Sometimes you just hit everything right in a few pages, and Delilah Devlin did that with her short story Night at the Wax Museum.

 

We have all fallen for the sexy Vampire be them male or female in the mf, mm or any combination of three. Delilah has given us a treat with her ff combo! In this story she has brings to life a couple great characters, with a story that will please you in a few ways *wink*

 

Krista Pike is retired military recovering from her injuries physical and emotional waiting to get her clearance to go back to a life in law enforcement. Until then she is working for a security company and has just been given an easy job to handle until she is good to go. Night security at a wax museum, how hard can that be? All she has to do is keep an eye on a few wax replicas like Marilyn Monroe, a few presidents, a vampire and her hunter. And let us not forget the rats that scurry when the lights go out. But is it only the rats scurrying or is there something else running around the museum at night?

 

If you are looking for a great short story this is one you should one click! It is also my first story from Delilah Devlin and it will not be my last. I can’t wait to see what she does with a full length story!

 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

NIGHT AT THE WAX MUSEUM also received the following ratings:

 

ROMANCE FACTOR ~ 3 Hearts

HEAT FACTOR ~ 2 Flames

BONUS FACTOR ~ Things that go bump in the night

  

 

 

 

ManCandy Monday – dipped in Ink

 

ROUGH ATTRACTION by Talon ps

Teaser  ~ 

“Perfect.” Maxum’s tongue lapped out from his mouth, reaching to have the taste of the man’s mouth returned to him. Just then, out of the corner of his eyes, Maxum saw the blur of black hands coming up, and he instantly caught Darko’s wrists, before the greasy brute could mangle yet another suit. Maxum held Darko steadfast, while his tongue found its target and laved over Darko’s, sucking at it before chewing on his lips, which got the man he was kissing, and holding back at the same time, growling.

Darko playfully tested Maxum’s grip, pressing more of his weight into the hold, and Maxum’s hands tightened further around them, holding ground.

“Oh— if you think we’re doing this without me touching you, you’re wrong.” Darko pushed into him and began walking Maxum backwards towards the small office room in the back corner of the shop.

“I have to return to the office after this.”

“Don’t you keep a spare suit there?” The debate was on.

They reached the door, Darko’s eyes peered down at the handle with a wry grin and waited. Maxum let one wrist go, to grasp the door handle, and that’s when Darko moved in for the kill. Darko’s hand was instantly fisting into Maxum’s suit coat and shirt, just as before, and forcibly pulled them together, and devoured Maxum’s mouth with a burning kiss. Maxum opened the door and shoved Darko inside the room, not bothering with the lights, “You pig.” Maxum growled, shutting the door and then began stripping his clothes off.

Darko let out a light sinister chuckle, his eyes filled with carnivorous flames of lust as he watched Maxum undress, “I’ve been called many things before. Pig— isn’t one of them.”

“Shut up and get those jeans off.” Maxum barked, the aggression in which Darko matched him had him already panting hard with urgency, not that he had any need for helping him get there. He was hooked on this guy the moment he brutally kissed him on the highway yesterday. It was like being swept off his feet in some twisted male, chauvinistically romantic way. And he had liked it right from the start. However, if Darko didn’t start undressing soon, he was going to rip his clothes off.

Maxum tossed his crisp white shirt, now painted with greasy handprints to the floor, along with his suit coat. Toe’d his dress shoes off then unfastened his belt and unzipped his pants. One hand slipping in to stroke over his tormented hard-on as he watched Darko peel his tight fitted jeans off his hips. “I’ve been wanting to fuck you all morning.”

“I believe it’s my turn.” Darko protested mildly, with a cocky quirk to one brow.

“Oh no, I’m fucking you. But, I’ll give something in return for now.” Maxum closed in, dropping to his knees and without asking, sucked Darko’s cock into his mouth in one quick movement, taking every dark-complected inch into his hungry mouth.

 

 

 

 

BOOKS ‘n COZY SPOTS BOOK REVIEWS – Heirloom Plantation by Rick Johnson

4 ~ Stars!

Review of ~ HEIRLOOM PLANTATION by Rick Johnson

Historical Satire / Fiction / Literature

(copy purchased at amazon)

Reviewed by Terry ~ for Books ‘N Cozy Spots Book Reviews, www.Talon-ps.com

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

`

 `

We were taught how our country was started. The lessons our country learned from decisions and actions taken.

Remember everything you were taught and erase it from your mind.

My name is Wood. I’m a white, cotton picking slave. I tasted the freedom for a moment, and it was grand. But as the saying went, ‘Born a slave and you’ll die a slave’. What I wasn’t prepared for was how much my life would change when I was taken to the Heirloom Plantation.

This is my untold story of life before freedom. My life of chains and cotton. When the black people ruled the plantations and the white race picked the cotton. Lawd have mercy.

 `

 `

 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Get comfy because Rick Johnson is taking us to a parallel universe with the aid of the Twilight Zone. Our destination for this historical satire is the great state of Louisiana around 1860. A dark time in our history, when men thought it was alright to own not only land but also people. But in this version of history the land owners didn’t come from England they came from Africa.

Welcome to the Heirloom Plantation! Colonel Bartholomew Black is the Master of this land and if you’re a lightie (white person) you couldn’t hope for a better Master. Just ask Mammy *stifles a giggle* or Master Peace the foreman of the plantation. *thinks of Preacher from the Pale Rider* These are just a few of the great characters we get to meet through Wood’s life story. Wood is a lightie who through a twist of fate received his freedom only to have it taken away.

Rick Johnson did a great job twisting history; he added just enough truth along with his embellishments to keep you turning the page to find out what happens next. One of Ricks talents in his story telling is he has great timing for adding a touch of humor at just the right time. He also has a knack for creating some great characters. I love Mammy she knows her place and accepts it but she also knows just how far she can push the Master. Wood will break your heart but at the same time he will endure himself through his actions. He will also surprise you with some of those actions. There are also some wonderful secondary characters that will capture your heart and make you shake your head.

I did have one little issue with how the time line jumped ahead a couple of times; it still works for the story and doesn’t take away from it at all. It is just one of my preferences not to find out what happens, to a main or secondary character, before it does.

So pack your basket with fried chicken and watermelon, fill your jug with buttermilk and take a step back in time and enjoy Wood’s story along with everyone else’s.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

HEIRLOOM PLANTATION also received the following ratings:

 

TWIST FACTOR ~ Trading places, ~ Upside down

BONUS FACTOR ~ Twilight Zone to the past    ~ Oh Lawdy.

 

 

 

BACKSTAGE WITH THE TWINS – there’s a fly in my Dominion of Brothers

So, as many know I have been working on the next book release for the Dominion of Brothers series: RIGHT ONE 4 DIESEL, however it would seem I have hit a snag.

It’s not even a new snag, A time line conflict between book 5: Right One 4 Diesel and the following release, book 6: Touching Vida~Vince. Talon and I had grilled over this over and over trying to iron out the conflict which was: Which book should be released first.

The question arises because Vida’s book quite literally overlaps the same time line as Diesel’s book. In fact, it even pre-dates it, because even in Rough Attraction and in Taking Over Trofim its mentioned twice that Vida underwent a self-transformation. So we wrote a prologue for Touching Vida~Vince, then allowed the large jump of time and hoped it had settled the problem. Which it did, except for one thing. Right One 4 Diesel is expected to end in a cliffhanger, story and size of the book won’t let it end any other way. So what’s the problem? Touching Vida~Vince can’t carry the burden of resolving the story’s arc in order to pick up where the cliffhanger left off.

This literally had me sitting up for the last two nights trying to figure out how to solve this dilemma. Vida’s book may seem insignificant at this time, but you just haven’t been introduced yet, and it’s a vital precursor to Dane’s book: The Golden Masters’ Darkside. So it couldn’t be dropped or even skipped. It also can’t be released before Right One 4 Diesel, as it will be riddled with spoilers to it, something readers who have been waiting for Deez’s story to get out would not appreciate.

Finally, I sat down with our editor, Alison Greene and we came up with a solution. I ran the plan past our other two editors, Nick Hasse and Ethan LJubankovic and they agreed. So we have solved the conflict and luckily it won’t get in the way of the release of Right One 4 Diesel.

RIGHT ONE 4 DIESEL and TOUCHING VIDA~VINCE will be released in their scheduled order, only Touching Vida~Vince will be a .5 in the way of numbering. Unlike .5s in most series, in the Dominion of Brothers series, the halves are still full size novel reads, not novellas. They just don’t further the story into the future.  It’s a perfect solution actually; like Doming the Heiress, Vida’s book over laps and doesn’t drive the story forward. Rather it only fills in a few gaps and adds further perspective to some key characters for better depth later.

Now that I have that cleared up have a seat and try to stay calm. (You may want to have some wine for this).

As I said Right One 4 Diesel will be ending in a cliffhanger that deals with the series’ arc (cliffhanger is not relationship bearing). This leaves it to Marcus’ book: Seducing His Thief to pick up at the cliffhanger. That’s fine, and Marcus has nodded he is prepared to take care of and protect his brothers at all costs. The down side is Marcus’ book is far from finished. In fact when Talon passed it on to me to be finished it didn’t even contain 30,000 words in it yet. So it’s going to be awhile.

        

“Okay, can someone get the emergency chocolate for the reader sitting in the coffee shop? She looks faint.”

“Thank you, Sweetie.”

 

Okay so while I have my assistant book me an airflight ticket to an undisclosed destination. I have a little treat to show you, (of course it’s a ruse to distract you while I make my escape), but you’ll enjoy it anyways).

[image error]

MM / MMFM / Erotic Romance / Drama / Action / BDSM – D/s

Diesel Gentry knows exactly want he wants. He wants a Unicorn, a life slave to surrender her every desire and need to him— who is, in essence and body, the same woman his brother, Trenton Leos, already possesses. He also wants Paris Dalqeautte. Diesel had that powerhouse body in his domineering grip once before, but he purposely let the fallen angel slip through his ropes.  Being a Master of Doms of the BDSM lifestyle, Diesel knew he had to set Paris free. Thinking and hoping he’d fly back to him and submit to him willingly, rather than as a job requirement. After all, Paris had been hired to direct the fetish and BDSM events down at the island resort Diesel and his brothers owned, and it was there Paris, while proving a value to his title, also hid behind his work.

It’s been a year now and Diesel’s bed and life has remained empty ever since. The time for running ends now.

Finding Paris wasn’t going to be the challenge– breaking down his walls to trust them both to commit to a life together was going to be the real would be.

But even if Diesel succeeds, there’s a problem with their future— what’s to come threatens the lives of everyone Diesel loves— and he doesn’t even know it yet.

 

 

PROLOGUE

~  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~

ELYSIAN FIELDS ANNUAL AUCTION

Diesel stood directly behind Dominus, chewing on a finger as he scanned the crowd in the ballroom. His trained eye observed, tagged, and rated each individual, Low key – came to watch; medium – easy going looking to play nice; and red alert – Sadists and jilted Doms on edge. Every year was the same and the reds could be counted on one hand. But this year it seemed different. He had at least ten that were out of works from the rest of the crowd. Moles likely. Every year the pressure grew worse from local event permits and they were now on a first name basis with the fire chief this year. Never a good thing.

“Would you stop?”

Diesel dropped his hand and glanced at his brother who’d turned to look him over.

I’m just measuring the crowd.”

“No you’re not, you’re looking for him.”

“I’m—”

“You are.” Trenton cut in, “Now stop it.”

Diesel sucked in a deep breath contemplating if he needed to count to ten, then before he could stop himself his eyes darted out into the mass of people to zero in on the tall, dark headed frame.  Only it wasn’t him and Diesel forced himself to just look casual then brought his gaze around running into Trenton’s eyes. He would have argued it even now, but he was caught. His brother’s pale brown eyes narrowed on him nailing him down.

Diesel felt a twitch of the smart ass in him, entertaining the idea of just wrestling Trenton down in a head lock just to prove the bastard wrong anyways.

“You have already run a check on all air flights coming in from the entire Caribbean area. Then called down to have Alan Pritchard confirm he was still down at the resort. So stop looking for him.” Diesel’s brother glanced away, his eyes too were scanning, but Trenton was looking for something else.

“What is it?”

“Nothing.” Trenton snapped back around, “Now I need you by my side out there.”

“You say that every event.”

“And when I have I lied?”

Diesel wasn’t going to dignify Trenton’s question with a response. Not tonight. Maybe not tomorrow night either. He received a pointed glance for it too, but Diesel remained reticent.

“You’re a mule like our father.”

“Good up bringing then.” Diesel chuckled with a thick layer of sarcasm and the air between them lightened. He scratched at his ear in a boyish manner, a subconscious reaction at the mention of his father, “You need to stop worrying about me.”

He spotted a familiar face and decided it was time for some fresh energy around him before he decided to blow off some steam by beating his brother up anyway. “Maxum! Glad to see you made it.” He held out a hand and they shook, then Diesel exchanged hands for Darko’s, “Darko, you keeping him in line tonight?”

Darko gave him a wicked grin. Fool was in cock heaven with his new boyfriend. Diesel tried to show he was happy for them, but by the same token turned bittersweet inside, that only a deep breath could will the shields up against the absence of another he was feeling more so this weekend than before.

“You know,” Maxum leaned in, “I didn’t expect to recognize as many faces here as I do.”

“Just remember, don’t touch. Some take a hard offense to it.” Diesel advised him and Maxum nodded.

“Don’t worry I’m his copilot to make sure he doesn’t make too grievous of a mistake with anyone pertaining to the etiquette of their Lifestyle.” Darko interjected, but then he glanced around then looked at Diesel with a questioning look like he was wanting to know where Diesel had stashed away a conspicuously absent face along with the body often described as that of a fallen angel’s.

“Something came up that required him to stay down at the resort.”

“Dude, then why are you here?” Suddenly, Darko’s attention was reeling around when he realized his task had gone unchecked when he heard Maxum speak a familiar name.

“Amelia Quinneth. Fancy running into you here. This is the last— place— I expected—” the heat coming from the reposed stare of the man behind her, was meant as a warning to Maxum.  Apparently, he had made an offense by touching someone who ought not have been touched. Maxum instantly let go of her hands and tossed his own hands down to his sides, and taking a step back. “I’m sorry— I-uh—”

“Oh—” Amelia’s eyes lit up like wicked fires of lust and followed up with a smile, though quickly tamped down for His sake Maxum was certain, but that didn’t stop the heat from rising in his cheeks. He’d known Amelia for many years, she was both someone he invested in as well as competed with. Finding her here as a— well— it was not among the surprises he’d prepared himself for.

Amelia leaned in, the giggle coming up as she spoke, “Don’t worry Mr. St. Laurents, I’ll calm him down in a bit.” She glanced over her shoulder to Rashawn Matisse, who was settling back into his refined position of control, but his eyes were bearing down on her with a warning. She rolled her lips to hide the growing smile then turned back to Maxum and reached out, clutching his arm just under the shoulders, “But I do think I am going to risk earning a spanking just so I can kiss those blushing cheeks of yours. They are just too scrumptious to turn down.” And having said it, she did just that. Like a queen, leaving burgundy lip prints as she did.

Her grace and elegance not marred in the slightest as she retreated to the man who watched her like a hawk that was somehow predatorily enamored with her.

Diesel’s idea of fresh air wasn’t panning out as he’d planned. All these damned, love sick, and possessive looks for partners was about to drive him crazy.

Diesel glanced at Rashawn seeing the planning in his eyes, at least his were entertaining. Diesel glanced at the sultry heiress earning a full evening of disciplines right before his eyes. He leaned toward her and risked speaking to her, “I’m looking forward to watching you get put over his knee at dinner time.”

The mild alarm that flared in her eyes was one he’d not forget for some time. And yes, that sudden pouty drop in her jaw was well worth breaking protocol. “My apologies for my rudeness, Head-Master Rashawn.”

Rashawn smiled at him to show he’d rather enjoyed it himself. “Apology accepted.” He kept to his candor.

Diesel almost laughed, but he just didn’t have it in him. Even with seeing Amelia blossom, or to see Darko and Maxum matching so well together. It made his chest feel tight. Then— out of nowhere he felt a small hand slip into his. He glanced down finding Trenton’s Unicorn standing at his side, smiling up at him. “You are always here at the perfect time, do you know that?”

“No. That was you who came and said just the right thing at the right time when I had wandered off. I haven’t left yours or Trenton’s sides ever since.”

She was right. She never had. But there was no way he was going to let that reality check darken his mood further. Her presence was a good thing.

She was beautiful tonight. Trenton had had a cage style dress made from black mesh straps designed for her which covered little more than a wire bird cage would. One strap broader than the others laid across her breasts, while the rest crisscrossed vertically and horizontally around her petite body, trimmed with black rhinestones. An added touch of black tear drops fell around her legs from clear, almost invisible monofilament lines. And heels held to her feet by only two straps, one over dainty toes and the other around her ankles; as exotic as she looked, nothing ever could dispel his attention from her eyes. Like snow under the moon peeking out from a thick tussle of brown wavy hair that no matter what, always looked wind-blown or just the well-fucked, bed-head look. That time Diesel did laugh a bit, because it was likely the latter of the two, and knowing his brother, it was his fault her hair always looked that way. Not that Diesel would ever blame Trenton. Had she been his, he’d see to it her hair looked about the same on a steady basis as well.

~  *  ~

For Maxum, it was an odd spectacle to witness. An auction of humans that to an outsider would seem detrimental and go against every rule of freedom. But watching the auction on the inside take place with Trenton Leos up on the stage like a finely crafted ring leader of decadence left Maxum with the sense of being spun about with a bottomless sensation of surrealism. Not wrong, but definitely the epitome of taboo.

Even Diesel seemed to be in his element here, despite the contrast it held to his gun shop and self-defense classes.

Humans being auctioned off to be possessed and looked after by those that would want to be served in ways not on the standard job market. It seemed morally wrong, yet there was no black market fear lingering in the room like a stagnant haze of stale smoke one might have expected. Men and women perused the ballroom and hallways like any other black tie affair, plus a little leather and exoticism thrown into the alluring mix. All was perfectly legal in the same fashion he had witnessed countless auctions for a date with volunteered bachelors and bachelorettes. Maxum had known many of such auctions to bring in a hefty purse for that evening’s cause.

At dinner, he and Darko were Diesel Gentry’s guests at the main table with the remaining brothers and Darko’s older brother, Pyotr. Where egos were laid down with napkins and replaced with laughter even if the conversations rarely ventured far from sex.

“So come, let’s see them.” Diesel sent the obvious request across the table to him.

Maxum glanced along his shoulder to the man sitting next to him with a sultry bad boy look about him. It was going to be hell getting them home without making a stop or two along the way. Maybe he’d check with the concierge to see, if by some miraculous act of god, a room had become available here at the event that Maxum could book.

Maxum placed his hand on the table next to his fiancé’s hand, putting the engagement ring on display. The platinum band glimmered under the chandeliers with a rainbow of gem stones set in the band.

Darko reached over and added his right hand to the pile. His finger donning an un-similar band of Tungsten steel and in place of stones, Darko’s ring was embedded with a band of rainbow colored fiber optics inside it.

“But they don’t match.” Katianna leaned forward as much as Trenton allowed to get a closer look.

“Be glad you didn’t see the fight we had over that little indifference.”

“But why?”

“I did originally buy matching bands, but after Darko’s first day to work after our trip to Germany, he came home fuming. That’s when the fight started.”

“I don’t get it.” Katianna looked at them both and Maxum laughed, waiting for his stubborn mate to explain himself. And he gave Darko a tap of his foot under the table to nudge him to do so.

“My hands are in grease all day and it got into the stones, which pissed me off. It was ruined in one day. When he suggested I take it off, I punched him.” Darko didn’t hold back. Not particularly the camp fire story Maxum had intended to entertain their friends with, but the flabbergasted laughs weren’t restrained in the least.

“You punched him?” Katianna asked in amazement.

“Don’t worry his bark is worse than his bite, but the make-up sex was mind blowing. After that I got him a ring he could wear even during work that wouldn’t get ruined.”

~  *  ~

The unvoiced awwws were almost as prevalent as the snickering. And Diesel found himself mirroring his brother and looking down at their mouse. Trenton glanced up at him and Diesel could see the over protective worry in his eyes. Diesel tore his own away, refusing to let him see inside him any further tonight. Enough was enough.

“So how come we don’t have Paris here? He is after all the event manager for the fetish season. Doesn’t that require him to come up for the auction selection?” Maxum who was part owner of the island resort asked before Darko could caution him on it.

Diesel found himself tapping on the table. A variety of excuses and arguments paraded through his brain. Each of them provided from Paris’ point of view, and that led to his being excused from this evening’s obligations from the board. But Diesel knew the real reason, at least in part, Paris didn’t want to see him.

There was just one problem with that—

Diesel wasn’t done with Paris.

~  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~

 

 

If you’re looking forward to reading RIGHT ONE 4 Diesel, then jump over to Goodreads and add it to your ‘Most Anticipated Book Release’ Shelf and share it with a few friends you think will enjoy reading the Dominion of Brothers series too.

 

BOOKS ‘n COZY SPOTS BOOK REVIEWS – Soul Rest, by Joey W. Hill

~ 5 Stars ~
Review of SOUL REST, by Joey W. Hill

Contemporary Erotic Romance / BDSM / police drama

ARC copy provided by author for honest review.

 

Reviewed by Jaycee ~ for Books ‘N Cozy Spots Book Reviews, www.Talon-ps.com

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Celeste has worked hard to establish her freelance blog as a source of accurate crime news for the Baton Rouge area. Being a workaholic, focusing solely on her career, was her choice. Five years ago, she had a life-changing experience in a BDSM club that made it clear she is a submissive, but she believes her past makes embracing that path impossible. Then Sergeant Leland Keller walks into her life. He’s the Dom she’s always feared and hoped she’d meet, and he recognizes her as what he’s been looking for as well. But she fights submission as much as she longs for it.

 

Leland always thought he was looking for a docile, sweet-natured sub, but the heart wants what it wants. He can tell Celeste is aching for love and surrender. Having served in the military and now as a patrol sergeant in one of Baton Rouge’s most dangerous districts, he doesn’t shy from a challenge.

His job is to protect and serve. He’s not going to let her down.

 

 ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Leland Keller was one of those JWH full-bodied secondary characters introduced in the Knights of the Boardroom tale, ‘Afterlife’.  He stood out both in his actions as the cop who extracted Rachel from a bad situation, and his quiet follow-up actions as a Dom which secured her care and support to Jon.

Celeste Lewis, local reporter extraordinaire, once acerbically coined the phrase ‘Knights of the Boardroom’ to describe the series’  Kensington Associates, all of which got her a Vignette trip down the rabbit hole at the hands and the paddles of one of the said Associates.

But that was then, and this is now, and the fates have decreed that Leland and Celeste should encounter one another over murder and mayhem and bad fast food, and that Leland should be the one to make the surreal Wonderland a thing of the past…or at least put it in its proper place for Celeste.

With a gang-slash-drug-slash-murder case as the background to their cop/reporter relationship, Leland senses an atypical integrity in Celeste’s professional approach and he becomes relentless with his efforts to pursue Celeste in his inimitable Dom-court-press style.   Would that my school basketball career had such in the play-book, but alas…and I digress…

Celeste is an outwardly strong, independent woman whose professional heart and very restless soul is in the right place.  A scarred and traumatic childhood has left her a fighter for the right on one hand, and on the other hand a woman with a need to hang on to the control that keeps her core self in one piece; that true soul no one gets to see.  Her past encounter down that K&A inspired rabbit hole shone a glaring light on that core and on her true nature, but she could not surmount the fear that letting go into the hands of another might fail utterly, and leave her unable to put her carefully constructed pieces back together.  While unfulfilling to ignore that reality, some chances just aren’t worth taking.

Enter Leland, a man who inhabits the rabbit hole, embodies all that she longs for yet is afraid of, and who is frighteningly adept at chipping away at her protected core, almost making it seem safe to let him in.   In a perfect balance of methods engaging both mind and body, and adapting to the need of the moment, he convinces that all but shattered soul of hers that he can and will give it rest.

Though life is not perfect, security is a sense that fluctuates, and the process is ongoing, what Celeste comes away with is the knowledge that, while even alone she can not be broken,  trusting  her care to the partner who accepts all of her gremlins only strengthens her core self and puts her soul at rest.

Now if she could just keep that reporter a$$ of hers out of trouble…

Often for a reader as a really exceptional series comes to its inevitable conclusion, there is a reluctance to let it go.   But this time, all the Knights have found their ladies-fair, and while everyone still has work to do on and for themselves, its a happy work.   We get to see all of them coming together for the happiest of occasions and successfully working their way through all of life’s vagaries.   And because this series never waned in its excellence, we are, each reader in their own way, free to write those continuing personal stories of the Knights in our own minds.

Unless we can convince Joey that a new Vignette is due for one thing or another, that is…

 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

SOUL REST also received the following ratings:

 

ROMANCE FACTOR  ~ 5 Hearts ~

HEAT FACTOR ~ 4 Flames ~

STING FACTOR ~ 3 Paddles ~

TWIST FACTOR  ~ lots of police action, and the girl caps the bad guy ~

 

BONUS FACTOR  ~  A friend’s wedding, a “reception” like no other, and its all a fitting conclusion to the tale of THE KNIGHTS OF THE BOARDROOM  ~

 

 

 

 

ManCandy Monday has gone all out Gandy Candy

                                    

BOOKS ‘n COZY SPOTS BOOK REVIEWS – A Barlow Lens by Elizabeth Noble

 3 ~ Stars!
Review of ~ A BARLOW LENS BOOK TWO OF THE CIRCLE SERIES by Elizabeth Noble

Crime-Mystery / Suspense / Romance / MM

 (copy provided by author for honest review)

 

Reviewed by Terry ~ for Books ‘N Cozy Spots Book Reviews, www.Talon-ps.com

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

 

While planning a future with his partner, Val, Wyatt’s past refuses to be forgotten. Wyatt’s old friend asks him to look into the mysterious death of her uncle in a fire back in 1927, when men were silent, tough, and did not love other men—except when they did. Working with Val, Wyatt digs up clues uncovering the truth behind the tragic school fire and the one responsible. The story of Tom and Philip slowly reveals itself, and Wyatt and Val realize nothing is as simple as they originally believed. As their trail heats up, an old enemy of Wyatt’s decides he’s waited long enough for revenge. If Wyatt can’t tie everything together, history might repeat itself.

 

AMAZON BUY LINK

 

KOBO BUY LINK

 

ALL ROMANCE BUY LINK

 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

A Barlow Lens is the second book in the Circle Series by Elizabeth Noble. I didn’t read the first story Run for the Roses, but if you are like me and read series out of order you don’t need to worry about that. A Barlow Lens can stand on its own. I will let you know you want to pay attention to the definition of what the Barlow Lens does it will help you understand how the story is told. *wink*

I felt this story was more of a mystery/suspense then a romance story. One of the things I enjoyed was this story is actually two stories in one. You will get a story from the past (I’m calling this the Barlow effect LOL) and one from the present.

There are a few déjà vu moments in these stories that are fun and a little spooky at the same time. Elizabeth gave us a look at how the lives of people who were attracted to the same sex lived back in the 20’s. Homosexuality was far from accepted back then so people had to sneak and meet in private clubs to be together. You are going to love how Tom and Philip got a little help to be together *wink* But it isn’t all roses, there is trouble brewing in the past story as well as the present.

The one thing that I would have like to see in these stories would have been more of a connection. The stories are told separately, well because one is from the past but as Wyatt and Val discover what happen to Tom and Philip I would have liked to have seen them find the story as well as having the Barlow effect tell the story.

I have already spilled enough of the story but I will tell you I enjoyed this story enough to get the first story as well. I need to know the whole story behind Wyatt and Val. So if you don’t mind reading a series out of order I say experience the Barlow effect now. Or you can start with Run for the Roses book one and then see how the Barlow Lens works and enjoy this series in order.

 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

A BARLOW LENS also received the following ratings:

 

ROMANCE FACTOR ~ 2 Hearts

[image error]

HEAT FACTOR ~ 1 Flames

TWIST FACTOR ~ 3 for things that aren’t always what they seem

  Keep staring until second instructions show up lol

BONUS FACTOR ~ Déjà vu, a horse race, and a night sky through a telescope

[image error] 

 

 

 

BOOKS ‘n COZY SPOTS BOOK REVIEWS – Untrustworthy by JR Gershen-Siegel

~ 3 Stars ~
Review of UNTRUSTWORTHY by JR Gershen-Siegel

SciFi / f-f / m-f / Dystopian

 

Reviewed by Jaycee ~ for Books ‘N Cozy Spots Book Reviews, www.Talon-ps.com

 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

 

Winner of the first Annual Riverdale Avenue NaNoWriMo contest, JR Gershen-Siegel’s first published novel Untrustworthy is a ground-breaking science fiction novel of Dystopian politics in an oddly familiar alien culture that pits gender “norm” against gender-bend in an age-old battle.

 

“Untrustworthy is old-school political dystopia in the vein of Brave New World: brilliant, gripping, frightening. JR Gershen-Siegel tackles gender politics and gender oppression with an unflinching eye. Untrustworthy is panned NaNoWriMo gold.”

Cecilia Tan, Publisher of Circlet Press, award-winning author of The Struck by Lightning series

 

Tathrelle is the only liberal in the Cabossian government. She represents the will of the people and is responsible for communicating with them about how the war with the Cavirii is going. She has a pregnant wife, and all seems well. The future seems promising, until she meets her new assistant. Something is off with the man.

When Tathrelle wakes up the morning after she first met him, she notices that subtle changes seem to have taken place overnight. She shrugs them off.

But it happens again and again. Someone, somehow, is changing everything she knows, as Tathrelle begins to wonder if her memories are faulty or if her mind is going. Can she trust the face she sees in the mirror? Is Caboss winning the war or losing it? Why is she suddenly the one who is pregnant?

Only her dreams provide a clue, a small vestige of what came before.

Trust your dreams, not your memory.

AMAZON BUY LINK

 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

 

At first blush, “Untrustworthy’s” alien society appears to be diverse and tolerant by all human standards.   Women holding high profile positions of power, gender partnerships of every configuration, fertility possible on a random basis by both partners in multiple births, provided an upbeat beginning to the tale.

Societal issues, ranging from military conflicts to number of sterile pregnancies/births (the latter, a result of specific parentage combinations), were apparently still part of daily life by all government reports, and reports were a regular daily feature intended by the government to keep and informed and therefore contented populace.

Our main heroine begins to sense vague distortions in her reality, but cannot attribute them to anything specific.  Eventually, as that continually declining reality is adjusted to, she accepts it as fact and lives within its confines.

Gradually during the read, I came to understand where the author was quite brilliantly going with her concept.  Consciousness was gradually being altered by certain governmental sects in a play for power, and misinformation and guided hysteria were cultivated in what became an almost Stepford-like mindset.   While not fully a willful indoctrination, there is enough room for interpreting this story as a commentary on what happens when people blindly accept untruths and the fear the unknown which fosters paranoia based on prejudice an weakness.   In the SciFi/Dystopian context, the world is fantastical but the story translates, and the net results are not pretty.

As society reaches self-generated apocalypse, stripped to its bare bones of technology and creature comforts, it reboots itself.   People turn to one another again and common sense once again directs the course of events.

Ultimately I loved how this concept came together and I think it finished with great strength.  I did have a fair amount of difficulty at the outset in determining what this world actually looked like and where I was as a reader, within it.   There seemed an inordinate amount of detail about certain concepts (such as the genetics) that altered the flow of the story for me, and I often found myself having to backtrack and re-read.  In truth of fact, it was simply reading forward and hitting the sweet spot of the story, wherein I found the “Ah Hah” moment and it all came together for me.  I understand that SciFi worlds can be necessarily complex, but this is all the more reason to set them up quickly, concisely and as simply as possible.  I did flounder at the outset from some of the detail and this was compounded by the shifting reality which was core to the story.  In the end, the impact was as intended and almost disturbingly tangible.

Oh how the mighty fall, and when they do, it leaves a mark…

 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

UNTRUSTWORTHY also received the following ratings:

 

ROMANCE FACTOR  ~ 2 Hearts ~

 

TWIST FACTOR  ~ The Ultimate Mind-fuck…and not in a good way ~

 

BONUS FACTOR ~ Redemption achieved, though post-apocalyptic ~

 

 

 

 

 

ManCandy Monday giving you the unshaved faces

 

THEIR PLANE FROM NOWHERE by Princess SO

EXCERPT:

He finally glanced up with one of them questions steepin’ on the tip of his tongue; only he refrained, seein’ Hank was lookin’ at him. Earl was worryin’ the hell out of him already. Earl was a simple man, grew up around these small mountains; simple town folk and loggin’. He watched just enough sports and news to share friendly conversation with the boys at work reckonin’ not one of them would be all too interested in gay pride and all that. Dammit. He sucked in a deep breath and let it out in a heavy huff that flared out his nose. His mind was in such a rut, just that one stupid thought that flashed in his head that he didn’t even have the man balls to stand up for his own rights, seemed to stamp some kinda of dogma on his life. Like he needed one more thing to make him feel miserable about all the should’ah-could’ah-would’ah choices he had poorly made.

At least this past week he finally made a good one for him. And for Hank.

“I seem to have lost my appetite, Hank. Whad’dah you say we just toss the table scraps out for the critters and we curl up for some tv?”

Hank didn’t lose that wrinkled face for a second but he forced on his boyish smile for him grabbed up the plates, and toted them into the kitchen. Gawd, he did love that man. Earl liked lookin’ at him— watchin’ him— even the most mundane shit like right now, watchin Hank doin’ dishes. Nothin’ fancy ‘cept maybe the faded jeans that were kinda formed around his ass. They were a nice distraction right now. Then again just ‘bout everythin’ about Hank was good for distraction. His man was 50 years old and still had a boy-ish grin about him— kinda like Robert Redford— same hair and color eyes too. Gawd he was a lucky pecker. Why had he wasted so many years not being here with him one hundred percent? Earl felt the stingin’ twitch in his nose like mustard seed and quickly dropped his head and his thoughts to the red-n-white checkered table cloth. He scooted his hand forward and picked at a knife cut in it. Lettin’ the mindless poking sever what ached inside.

Earl’s head popped up and he twisted in his chair glancing over his shoulder, out the window. The banged up thing was still just quietly sittin’ down at the dock, like some ghost waitin’ for somethin’ to happen. But what?