This was such a sweet and heartwarming read! I enjoyed both romances, but especially the one between Henry and Robert. Set against the backdrop of the horrors of war and the fear for discovery and damnation for being in love with a man, it was so gripping and emotional, and my heart truly ached for Henry. I also really enjoyed the connection to a decedent through history and how the two stories came together in the end.

Read my full review here: The Echoes of Ashlington by Rowan MacKemsley

Buy The Echoes of Ashlington

Amazon
Add on Goodreads

​Author info 

Rowan MacKemsley

Can Ren’s bad boy heart be wooed and won?
 
Blurb

Ren Moretti likes his life—and his hookups—just the way they are: fast and loose.
He only ever hooks up with someone once, and relationships? Forget it. Never gonna happen. No guy has ever persuaded him to bend, break, or alter his one date and one night rule.

Until Seth Abramson.

Seth has always tempted Ren—but it’s not a secret that Seth won’t settle for just one night. A few dates won’t cut it, and he’s not interested in playing around. He wants it all, and he intends to win Ren’s heart.
​
But that’s the one thing Ren’s never given up. He guards it closely and fiercely, until one day, when he realizes it’s no longer his to protect, it’s belonged to Seth all along.

Excerpt

“You gonna order?” Ren asked. Hoping that he understood exactly what he meant. And he wasn’t talking about sandwiches.

“Oh yeah, I definitely am,” Seth said, and Ren’s stomach fluttered. There was something so decisive and grown up about this guy. Like he’d throw Ren over his shoulder and cart him back to his bedroom.

“What can I get you?” Ren asked.

Me. I can get you me. And you’d enjoy every second of it. Trust me. I’m delicious.

“That’s a real good question,” Seth said.

“I’m going to get lunch,” Lennox announced, and nobody was surprised to see him head off towards Ash’s food truck.

“Well, if you want a recommendation,” Gabe said, and Ren wished that his cousin would go do anything else right now, “you can’t go wrong with the Thai meatball crunch wrap.”

“Does everything have balls or buns?” Seth wanted to know.

Oh, Ren wanted to show him. So badly that he deployed the smile that he usually saved for closing the deal. But then, he was closing the deal right now, wasn’t he? He could feel it in his bones. Specifically one bone in particular. “Yes,” Ren said.

“Straightforward,” Seth said, taking a step nearer, and now Ren could really get a good look at him. He was even sexier in higher definition and he’d made Ren’s mouth water even without the close-up look. “I like it.”

“See anything else you like?” Ren decided there was no point in delaying. They were both clearly interested. “Lucky for you, I just happen to be free tonight.”

Somehow, impossibly, Seth’s own closing smile was even more devastating than Ren’s own.

Ren was unmoored. Blown away. Blown apart. What would it be like to be under him, when he smiled like that? What would it feel like to kiss that smile off him? He was going to get to find out. Ren could feel it. Could nearly taste it.

“Really straightforward,” Seth said, not sounding like he hated that at all.

“Why bother pretending that you don’t just want a sandwich?” Ren shrugged. “We’re both interested. I’m free tonight, and I know we’d both enjoy ourselves.”

“What about tomorrow, then?”

Ren had learned the hard way that it was better to always be honest about his intentions. But this guy, even if he didn’t do one-night stands, was so hooked that Ren knew there was no way he’d ever turn him down. Ren could feel the other side of the hook, buried in him, tugging him even closer, and he dared anyone to try to resist that completely irresistible pull. “What about tomorrow?” Ren asked archly. “Why do we have to worry about tomorrow?”

“I’m all about the tomorrows,” he admitted with a shrug. “I’m not here for just the tonights. I want to know there’s going to be a tomorrow, too.”

Ren frowned. “I don’t do tomorrows. Not when tonights are so freaking great.”
​
“Then I guess I’ll have to make do with just a sandwich.” Seth sounded genuinely regretful, which was why Ren didn’t even register the rejection right away. He’d been so goddamned nice about it. Like he hadn’t wanted to say no.

I absolutely love Beth Bolden’s adorable and heartwarming Food Truck Warriors series, so this sixth and last book was a bittersweet read. I sure will miss my Food Truck Warriors! But on the other hand, I’m so happy for this wonderful and satisfying conclusion of the series. Beth Bolden did an amazing job wrapping it all up!

You can find my gushing reviews for Ride or Die and the previous books in the Food Truck Warriors series here:

Drive Me Crazy
Hit The Brakes
On A Roll
Full Speed Ahead
Wheels Down
Ride or Die

About the author 

A lifelong Pacific Northwester, Beth Bolden has just recently moved to North Carolina with her supportive husband. Beth still believes in Keeping Portland Weird, and intends to be just as weird in Raleigh.

Beth has been writing practically since she learned the alphabet. Unfortunately, her first foray into novel writing, titled Big Bear with Sparkly Earrings, wasn’t a bestseller, but hope springs eternal. She’s published twenty-three novels and seven novellas.

Connect with Beth Bolden

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram • BookBub • Newsletter Sign-up

Buy Wheels Down
Amazon • Add on Goodreads

Giveaway

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for chance to win a $20 Amazon gift card!

I’m so happy and honored to be a part of Gay Book Promotions Cover Reveal for Embers of Darkness by Jessamyn Kingley and to be able to share with you all this absolutely stunning cover!

To embrace the future and find love, both men must face the darkness of their pasts.
 
Blurb

A man torn between what his soul wants and what he believes is expected of him, Scheredin D’Vaire is still fiercely loyal to his family. Scheredin is one of the few remaining warlocks and spends his days aiding his cousins in running the D’Vaire sanctuary. In his free time, Scheredin loves gaming. With the tap of a few keys, Scheredin can lose himself in another world.

Kieran Tarinthfenix is a phoenix shifter whose tribe likes to forget that elf blood also runs through their veins. A driven man, Kieran takes his hobby of gaming and learns to craft titles of his own. He hands his income to his chieftain despite Kieran’s lack of respect for a man who forces his people to take part in an ancient but cruel ceremony every year.
​
Scheredin and Kieran meet online and quickly grow into gaming buddies. For years, they are content with an online relationship and the anonymity it provides. When Scheredin decides to meet Kieran in person, they discover they’re mates, but there are secrets between them. To find lasting love, both men will have to throw away the past and seize their destinies.

Excerpt

A product of elven blood, even though the Tarinthfenix refused to admit it, Kieran had lacked any kind of sexuality until that moment. His breath caught, knowing that inside the shop was his mate. Stepping into the bright space, Kieran scanned the customers, and his silver gaze with hints of purple locked on a short man with dark hair and a light goatee.

His expression was one of shock, and there was little else to read in his heavily lashed green eyes. In his hand was a stunning lily of blue and black, which brought a smile to Kieran’s face. Somehow, it made perfect sense that the man he’d become instant friends with all those years ago was the other half of his soul.

Crossing the distance that separated them, Kieran’s grin grew as he delightedly considered the handsome man still staring at him blankly. “Hi, Scheredin.”

“Hi, Keladriel. I’m Brexton,” said the man at Scheredin’s side, who resembled him a great deal.

“A pleasure to meet you, Brexton,” Kieran replied immediately and flicked his attention back to Scheredin.

Brexton nudged Scheredin’s shoulder.

“Say hello,” he murmured to Scheredin, whose mouth snapped shut.

“Hi, Keladriel,” Scheredin whispered.

“Crazy, right?” Kieran asked. “Makes me kind of mad. We should’ve planned this a long time ago.”

“What does that mean?” demanded a broad-shouldered man with navy eyes and soft brown curls.

“Keladriel is my mate, Brogan,” Scheredin told the tall guy.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” yelled a man around Scheredin’s height as his hands rose to grab fistfuls of his blond ringlets, catching the attention of several customers.

“You can calm down,” Brogan growled. “I already know you’re going to give me shit for the rest of eternity.”

“Hi, I’m Dra’Kaedan,” the blond said, shouldering his way between Scheredin and Brexton to wave. “I was so excited I nearly forgot and tried to shake your hand.”

Kieran was seconds away from refuting Dra’Kaedan’s assumption that he was an elf, despite his ears and attire, when the name hit him. “Like, Grand Warlock Dra’Kaedan D’Vaire?”

Although he wasn’t allowed to explore the outside world, it fascinated Kieran, and he’d often read about the famous people within the Council. As far as Kieran could tell from the online newspapers, there were few families as reputable and powerful as the D’Vaires, so it made sense that people would name their kids after the royal family.

“He is Grand Warlock Dra’Kaedan D’Vaire,” Scheredin remarked. “We’re all D’Vaires. The tall guy behind him is his mate, Grand Duke Brogan D’Vairedraconis. At the table next to you pretending not to listen are Coven Lord Bridger D’Vaire and Coven Lord Hadley D’Vaire. They’re here to protect me in case you turned out to be a homicidal maniac planning to butcher me in a coffee shop or whatever other nefarious idea Brogan had for what might happen today.”

“Why does everyone always make me sound crazy?” Brogan demanded.

“Please, you do that all by yourself, Mate,” Dra’Kaedan muttered.

“Do you follow all elven traditions even though you aren’t a part of the Council?” Brexton asked, cocking his head.

Kieran wasn’t fond of lies, but there was no hesitation in his soul over his matebond. Although they had plenty to learn about each other, Kieran knew Scheredin’s character and was wildly attracted to him. He was ready to explore his new sexuality with the attractive man studying him, and Kieran understood that their belief that he was an elf named Keladriel could help speed up the process of binding them together for eternity.

Not only would Kieran not have to wait to be with Scheredin, but he could also finally walk away from the Tarinthfenix without guilt.  Fate wanted Kieran to be with Scheredin, and he was fully on board with her plan. In fact, in Kieran’s eyes, she couldn’t possibly have done better. Kieran’s gift was his closest friend and a real, honest-to-Fate warlock to boot.

If there was anything that fascinated Kieran more than the Council, it was magic, and Scheredin likely had plenty. While building the foundation of the most important relationship of his life with dishonesty wasn’t the smartest choice, Kieran would explain who he truly was and give Scheredin his real, non-elf name as soon as they were mated. It was perhaps not the best way to speed up the timeline, but Kieran could find no patience, and his beast was egging him on.

Instead of answering Brexton’s question with a complete falsehood, Kieran went with his gut. “I’d like to have a mating ceremony as soon as possible if you’re okay with that, Scheredin.”

“I will honor your customs, Keladriel. It’s not like we’re total strangers.”

It rankled both man and phoenix to have his other half call him by the wrong name, even though it was the one he went by in the game, but Kieran set the outrage aside and smiled again. “Thank you.”

About the Author

Jessamyn Kingley lives in Nevada where she begs the men in her head to tell her their amazing stories which she dutifully writes it all down in what has become a small mountain of notebooks. She falls in love with each couple and swears whatever book she wrote last is her absolute favorite.

Jessamyn is married and working toward remembering to start the dishwasher without being distracted by the scent of the magical detergent. For personal enjoyment, she aids in cat rescue while slashing and gashing her way through mobs in various MMORPGs. Caffeine is her very best friend and is only cast aside briefly for the sin better known as BBQ potato chips.

Connect with Jessamyn Kingley

Website • Facebook • Facebook Group Jessamyns Ruffians • Twitter • Pinterest

Get your own copy of Embers of Darkness

Amazon • Add on Goodreads

Embers of Darkness will be released on February 3rd!

I’m so happy and honored to be a part of the Xpresso Book Tours blitz celebrating the release of The Other Brother by Jax Calder! I absolutely LOVED this book! It was such an emotional, completely addictive and swooning rivals-to-friends-to-lovers story with amazing character growth! And some truly amazing chemistry between the main characters... Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for chance to win one of five ebook copies of The Other Brother and a $10 Amazon gift card! 

Synposis

What happens when you fall for the one person you can’t have?
 
Ryan has had seventeen years of being compared to Cody, part of his toxic fractured family, so you’ll forgive him for some epic eye-rolling when it comes to Mr Perfect. Although not related to him by blood, Cody has always been annoying background noise in Ryan’s life. It doesn’t help that Cody’s a high achieving musician, while Ryan’s life ambition doesn’t extend past catching the next wave.
 
One summer changes everything. It’s the summer when circumstances collide, and Cody and Ryan end up spending time together at Cody’s family’s beach house. It’s the summer Ryan teaches Cody to surf and Cody teaches Ryan to play guitar. It’s the summer when they become friends.
 
And then more than friends.
 
But when summer ends, Cody and Ryan are forced back to reality, where they must hide their relationship from their warring family members. And as tragedy strikes and family secrets buried deep in the past worm their way to the surface, their relationship is threatened. Can their feelings, which began in the summer sun, survive the winter ahead?

Excerpt

The next day I’m out surfing early. The waves are gentler today, and while the rides aren’t as intense, it’s crazy-cool being out with the early sun glinting off the water and the fresh salt air giving my nostrils a spring clean.

I’m about to head in when I notice a lone runner on the beach. As the figure draws closer, I recognize the lean build and curly hair.

Okay, so maybe I time my exit from the water so I intercept him. But hey, it’s a long, lonely fifty-feet walk back to the house. It’s natural to want some company.

Cody stops at the start of the path, leaning forward to rest his hands on his legs as he recovers his breath. He’s wearing a close-fitting T-shirt that shows off his biceps.

“Hey.” Yep, I should win awards for the most original opening line. I stand there, dripping in my wetsuit, sand caking my feet.

“Hey,” he pants. He straightens and pulls up his T-shirt to wipe his forehead, giving me a view of his muscled, tanned stomach.

“Heading back to the house now?” I keep my voice casual.

“Yeah.”

“I’ll be your security detail if you want.”

“Thanks, there are lots of bandits in the dunes,” he says in such a deadpan voice that it takes me a few seconds to realize he’s joking.

“Gotta watch out for those bandits.” My reply is a few seconds too late and a few levels too feeble as I step into stride next to him. The sandy path cuts through the dunes.

“So, do you surf?” I ask.

“Nah, I’ve never learned.”

“You spend your summers here, and you’ve never learned to surf?”

“I bodyboard.”

I snort. Making sure as much derision as possible is contained in the snort.

Cody raises his eyebrow. “Bodyboarding doesn’t cut it with you?”

“Nah. It’s like saying Jimi Hendrix and Justin Bieber are both equal musicians. Or… like Mozart and whoever was the crappy but popular composer back in his time.”

“I get the Jimi Hendrix/Bieber comparison,” Cody says. “You don’t need to put it into classical music terms.”

“That’s good, because I don’t know shit about classical music,” I say. “You dig Hendrix?”

“I play a few songs of his. Mainly on the guitar.”

“You play guitar as well?”

“Yeah. You ever played an instrument?”

“Does the recorder in third grade count?”

He flashes me a smile. “Kind of like bodyboarding counts as surfing.”

“Fair point.”

We’ve reached the house now. The sun is hitting the front windows, turning them into gleaming pools of gold light. But the yard is still in shadows.

“Wetsuit off, right?” I say.

“Yeah, there’s a hose around here somewhere you can use to wash down.”

He rummages around by the side of the house and emerges holding a hose.

I strip my wetsuit off. If there’s one thing it’s impossible to look coordinated doing, it’s removing a wetsuit. Luckily, I’ve got board shorts on underneath so I’m spared the indignity of possible shrinkage on full display.

“Damn, that’s cold.” I spray myself with the frigid water.

Cody’s standing there, immobile. He studies the ground, not looking at me.

Because I’m in control of the hose, I can’t help flicking water in his direction. He raises his gaze to mine, his eyes narrowing.

“You looked like you needed to cool off,” I say.

“Thanks,” he replies dryly.

I turn off the hose. “Race you for the first shower,” I say, taking off through the door.

I’m not expecting Cody to engage, but then I hear footsteps on the floorboards behind me in the kitchen, and he’s right on my tail as I streak through the living room.

We’re side-by-side on the stairs, jostling each other with our elbows.

He slips ahead when we reach the hallway, but I tackle him to slow his momentum, and we both crash into the bathroom door at the same time and slide down it, laughing through our panting.

The Other Brother was an absolutely amazing book! It was a truly adorable and emotional slow-burn enemies-to-lovers Romeo and Juliet kind of romance with all the feels and character growth. I read it in one sitting, it was so addictive and I rooted so much for all characters that I just couldn’t bear to put it down until the very end!

Read my full review here: The Other Brother by Jax Calder

About the author

Jax’s stories are all about light-hearted conversations and deeply-felt connections. She loves exploring exactly why two characters are the only ones who’ll make the other truly happy, and the journey they take to reach their happily-ever-after.

Jax lives in New Zealand and is a rabid sports fan, a hiking enthusiast and has a slightly unhealthy addiction to nature documentaries. As an extrovert who spends way too much time in her own head, she loves to connect with readers. Join her Facebook group Jax’s Crew for bonus stories plus exclusive excerpts from her upcoming books.

Connect with Jax Calder

Website • Facebook • Instagram • Goodreads

Buy The Other Brother

Amazon • Add on Goodreads

Giveaway

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for chance to win your own ebook copy of The Other Brother and a $10 Amazon gift card!

Prolific Works is hosting a year-long giveaway with over 100 M/M romance novellas and novels by some truly amazing authors! Jon the Your Book Boyfriend’s Boyfriend Group Giveaway and claim your free books here: YBBB MM Romance Giveaway