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A Chequered Romance / Murder Oblivion by Lawson Brook-reviews

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A Chequered Romance / Murder Oblivion by Lawson Brook-reviews

A Chequered Romance
Chequered Romance #1
by Lawson Brook
Genre: adult, contemporary, MM, LGBTQ, romance

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 1, 2020

What happens when the Prime Minister of Great Britain falls in love with an African Revolutionary Leader?

After having a brief relationship during their University days at Oxford, George and Masimba go their separate ways. A decade passes. George works his way up the slippery political ladder, becoming Prime Minister at the spectacularly young age of 29. Masimba, on the other hand, returns to his homeland of Zimbabwe to forge his own political career, eventually becoming opposition leader and fighting for the freedom of his people.

Civil war ensues in Zimbabwe, and George watches from Britain as his ex-boyfriend’s life hangs in the balance. Concerned for Masimba’s safety, and harbouring a pent-up desire to meet him again, George arranges for Masimba to be granted exile in the Ethiopian Embassy in Britain. Masimba reluctantly agrees, but as he arrives in London, he realises that his feelings for George are still strong.

George’s decision to help Masimba is not popular. He has to contend with disapproval from the tabloid press, the King of England and from the President of the United States, no less. And he also faces a threat to his Premiership from political rivals who smell blood. Both the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Foreign Secretary manoeuvre themselves into position to oust George as PM. To make matters worse, George’s secret love affair with the Chancellor has recently ended acrimoniously.

What George wants more than anything else is to meet up with Masimba again, and rekindle their romance. And when an opportunity arises for them to spend a weekend together at the Prime Minister’s private residence, Chequers, George seizes the moment and Masimba gladly accepts his invitation.

Against all odds, will romance succeed at Chequers?

•••••••

REVIEW:A CHEQUERED ROMANCE is the first instalment in Lawson Brook’s contemporary, adult Chequered Romance LGBTQ romance series focusing on thirty-two year old, British Prime Minister George Morgan, and Zimbabwean opposition leader and freedom fighter Masimba Dewele.

NOTE: A CHEQUERED ROMANCE is a M/M romance with scenes of same sex relationship that may not be suitable for all readers.

Told form several third person perspectives including George and Masimba A CHEQUERED ROMANCE follows the rekindling romance and relationship between childhood friends and Oxford University buddies British Prime Minister George Morgan, and Zimbabwean opposition leader and freedom fighter Masimba Dewele. Masimba Dewele is the opposition leader in Zimbabwe but a civil war found Masimba trapped in the cross-fire, along with his fighters, only to be rescued by the British Special Forces courtesy of his former lover George Morgan, the Prime Minister of Great Britain. Upon his rescue and subsequent ‘in-house’ lock down at the Ethiopian Embassy in Britain, Masimba would start to ruminate about his past affair with George Morgan but all was not well for George as the British Press was about to reveal the truth about their current PM, including his unethical and potentially illegal use of the British Special Forces used to extricate Masimba Dewele. What ensues is the rebuilding romance and relationship between Masimba and George, and the fall-out as betrayal from all sides reveal the secrets and lies, and the true extent of George and Masimba’s relationship.

A CHEQUERED ROMANCE is an LGBTQ (MM) story of secrets and lies; betrayal and vengeance; political in-fighting, scandal, and a fight for the top. I struggled to accept everything that happened including the PM’s disappearance (run from his responsibilities). The premise is interesting and entertaining but the style of writing was adolescent and simple-the conversations between Masimba and George reading like ‘randy’ teenaged boys; the romance is passionate but the sexual attraction felt stilted and forced; the characters are colorful and energetic but saying that, there is limited back story pertaining to our story line couple- I had hoped there was more history revealed about our story line couple. The secondary and supporting characters are colorful and charismatic with more intensity than our leading couple.

_________

Murder Oblivion
by Lawson Brook
Genre:adult, contemporary, suspense
Release Date:April 30, 2020

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

When Richard Neville finds a dead body in his hotel room and has no recollection of how it got there, he knows there is only one thing he can do: – cover his tracks.

He has no intention of giving up what he has: – a successful career in business, a beautiful wife and two children, and an amazing sex life with his gay best friend.

But when misfortune befalls him again and his memory fails him, he begins to question…. Is he guilty of the crimes? Or is someone trying to frame him?

Murder Oblivion is a darkly comic and erotically thrilling crime novel about a life spiralling out of control where nothing seems to make sense, and where the story twists and turns towards a shocking conclusion.

••••••••••

REVIEW: MURDER OBLIVION by Lawson Brook is a contemporary, adult , LGBTQ suspense thriller focusing on salesman Richard Neville.

WARNING: MURDER OBLIVION is a LGBTQ story line with scenes of questionable consent, murder, same sex (MM) scenarios and multiple partners.

Told from first person perspective (Richard) MURDER OBLIVION focuses on travelling salesman Richard Neville. Richard Neville is a married, father of two; a bisexual man in a relationship with fellow salesman Tyrone Parker but a man who struggles with unexplained blackouts. After a wild foursome with three other men, Richard Neville finds a dead body in the hotel bathroom, and the ensuing aftermath discovers this particular body is only the tip of the proverbial ice-berg. With his wife threatening divorce, Richard begins to spend more time with his wife but inevitably goes back on the road with Tyrone in tow. As the bodies begin to pile up at every sales stop and working venue, Richard begins to suspect his lover, a man who knows more than Richard could ever imagine.

MURDER OBLIVION is a story of murder and suspense; of mystery and betrayal; of secrets and lies. Lawson Brook pulls the reader into a twisted tale of death, a twist I suspected from the very start. The premise is intriguing and captivating: the characters are colorful, energetic and fractured.

Copies supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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Hunter (Twilight Falls #3) by AM Salinger-Review & Giveaway tour

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Hunter (Twilight Falls #3) by AM Salinger-Review, Excerpt & Giveaway tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: June 22, 2020

Can a business rival bring one of Twilight Falls’ most notorious bad boys to his knees?

Twilight Falls’ resident bad boy Hunter Thomson knows he hasn’t quite lived up to his reputation of late and is determined to have some fun while on a rare night out in L.A. But after a torrid encounter with a captivating stranger results in one of the best sexual experiences of his life, Hunter flees to his hometown, scared by his intense feelings and convinced he is about to commit the same mistake he once made in the past.

Theo Miller can’t get the gorgeous man he hooked up with one night in L.A. out of his mind. When he moves to Twilight Falls for the opening of his new store, he is shocked to discover than his business rival is none other than the stranger who ran away from him and their fiery connection.

Sparks fly as the two men engage in a game of cat and mouse. But when an accident makes Theo dependent on Hunter, the game becomes something neither men could have anticipated.

Will Hunter finally overcome his deep-seated fears and succumb to Theo’s passionate attention? And can Theo win the heart of the one man he wants to belong to?

••••••••

REVIEW: Book three in the Twilight Falls; Hunter brings us right back to the sleepy small town and characters that we know and love.

Known as a bad boy, Hunter Thomson hits a club on a trip into L.A hoping to loose a few hours in pleasure. What he was not expecting was to meet a man that filled dreams he didn’t even know he had. After the most meaningful, but puzzling sexual experiences of his life, Hunter makes a run for it. Or rather, the hazel eyed man that invoked those feelings.

Theo Miller is new to Twilight Falls, opening a new location for one of his many other shops, he thought of nothing else but the shop and the mysterious man he meet for a one night stand in L.A. Little does he know that the little town of Twilight Falls holds the key to his heart. As luck has it, the shop owner across from his new store is none other than the mystery man he can’t get out of his head.

While Theo pursues Hunter, the unthinkable happens; Theo is injured in a climbing accident while saving not only Hunter, but Hunter’s friend as well. Feeling guilty, and the pull of all things Theo, Hunter decides to help Theo while he is recovering. Things heat up in more than one way and the past comes to light as we learn new things about Hunter and his “shy” ways. Enter back into Twilight Falls, and into the loving story of Hunter and Theo.

First things first, while you can read Hunter as a standalone, I personally recommend reading the first and second books in the series to get the most out of the series. This is a man on man romance, if that isn’t your cuppa tea, then just be aware. If you haven’t explored this genre much, then come on in, this a good one dip your toes into for beginners.

Hunter and Theo’s story is so sexy and sweet, you can’t help but like it. When I first started, I was unsure how I felt about Hunter, he was stand offish and kind of cold, but after reading more, you learn why and what makes him that way. The vulnerability of his past gives Hunter a tough outer shell that hides a shy, loving inside. Theo, now he’a upfront, bold and sexy. He knows what he wants and isn’t shy about going after it. Their relationship is somewhat bumpy at first, but throughout the book the story line flows and the chemistry is so real. 5 out of 5 stars, and very much hoping for more in this series. I think Tristan would make a great book!

Reading Order and previous reviews
Alex
Carter

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sarah

NOTE: The excerpt is intended for mature readers due to language and content

 

Theo Miller watched the man freeze as he started to reach for the door handle. He lowered his hand and twisted on his heels.
Stormy gray eyes cut to Theo. The guy frowned.
“What do you mean?”
Theo suppressed the chuckle working its way up his throat and did his best to look solemn. He didn’t think the man would appreciate his amusement.
“You know?” Theo waved a hand vaguely south of the stranger’s belt buckle. “Like that.”
A flush of color bloomed on the man’s cheekbones when he realized Theo was talking about his erection.
Mighty fine cheekbones they are too.
Theo would be lying if he said he hadn’t noticed the stranger when they were at the bar earlier. Though the man was dressed pretty casually for the club, his striking face and confident bearing made him stand out from the crowd.
It was clear he was utterly comfortable in his own skin and his sexuality.
Admiration darted through Theo as they eyed each other across the washing area.
The stranger was facing him boldly despite his arousal.
Theo could tell the guy wasn’t used to backing down from anything, which intrigued him even more. It wasn’t just the man’s face that was to his liking.
Though not overtly brawny, it was clear from the stranger’s physique that he took great care of his body. The smoothly defined muscles Theo could spy through his jeans and T-shirt made him want to peel the guy’s clothes off and find out if they were as nice as they looked.
And that ass is something else.
Theo’s fingers twitched slightly as he imagined wrapping his hands over the nicely rounded, tight globes he’d spied strutting on the dance floor a short while ago. The guy sure knew how to move to the music, his sultry expression matching the wicked way he’d rocked the songs pounding through the club.
The stranger seemed to come to some kind of decision. He closed the distance between them, leaned a hip against the sink, and raised an eyebrow. He raked Theo slowly from his head to his toes and back again, his silver gaze daring as he met Theo’s stare.
“Why, are you proposing to do something about it?”
Theo blinked, surprised. He swallowed a grin.
His body isn’t the only sassy thing about him.
Theo moved until he stood toe-to-toe with the stranger, forcing him to look up. He could tell the guy wasn’t pleased by their height difference.
“Would you like me to?” Theo murmured.
The man’s pupils flared in surprise. He licked his lips nervously.
The sight of the pink, moist flesh darting in and out of the stranger’s mouth and the flash of white teeth he glimpsed almost drew a groan from Theo.
Shit. That’s sexy.
Theo didn’t know what possessed him in the next instant. He raised a hand and traced the man’s plump lower lip with his thumb, wiping away the trace of dampness he found there.
“So, what’s it gonna be, Gray?” he said huskily.
The man’s eyelashes fluttered as he blinked, clearly flustered despite his brave expression.
“Hunter,” he blurted, his breath washing hotly across Theo’s finger.
Theo’s dick thickened at the sensation. He angled his head closer, a little stunned by how brazen he was being. Something about this guy just flipped all his buttons, in a hot and dirty kind of way.
“What?”
The man shivered at the question, dark pupils dilating in a sea of smoky gray. There were only a scant few inches separating their mouths.
“My name is Hunter.” His gaze grew heavy-lidded as it dropped to Theo’s lips.
Damn.
***
Hunter didn’t know who moved first.
One minute, Hazel Eyes was edging him on, the next their mouths were glued together in a torrid kiss. Desire stormed through Hunter as the man shamelessly probed his lips open. A wave of dizziness swept over him when their tongues clashed hungrily a heartbeat later. Hunter’s hands found the stranger’s broad shoulders, his fingers sinking into firm, warm flesh as he clung on for dear life.
Holy crap, he’s a good kisser!
He was dimly aware of the guy guiding him to the back of the restrooms and around the corner to a cubicle at the far end. The sound of the metal door clattering open and closing behind them reached him hazily above the sound of blood pounding in his ears.
A small part of Hunter’s brain told him he needed to stop. The last time he’d had sex in a public toilet, he’d barely been past the legal age of drinking.
His lower half, however, had other thoughts on the matter.
Though he’d very much wanted to find his release in the comfort of his hotel room tonight, his dick was doing press-ups inside his jeans and he was dying to deliver it from its tight confines.
A throaty groan rumbled out of him when Hazel Eyes did just that, his long fingers unbuckling Hunter’s belt swiftly before he slid his zipper down and dipped his hand inside his boxers. A hiss of pleasure left him as the stranger palmed his cock and gently pulled it free before backing him against the wall.
Hunter stiffened slightly. He was used to being in charge under these kinds of circumstances. It unnerved him how easily he was letting this guy take control of the situation.
Hazel Eyes let go of his mouth and leaned away slightly, his heated gaze dropping to where he was touching Hunter intimately. The tender expression on his gorgeous face scattered Hunter’s anxious thoughts to the four winds.
“Theo.” The man caressed Hunter’s erection lightly, as if it was the most precious thing in the world.
Hunter sucked in air, too focused on the sinful feeling of the guy’s hand on his sensitive member to pay much heed to anything else.
“My name.” Intense hazel eyes met Hunter’s own dazed ones. “It’s Theo.”
Hunter’s belly contracted with a spasm of pleasure and something else.
Oh. His eyes get greener when he’s excited.
A clink sounded. Hunter looked down and saw Theo unzip his own pants. He swallowed when he saw the enormous erection Theo unleashed seconds later.
“You’re big,” Hunter blurted.
Theo stared. A sexy chuckle escaped him in the next instant. “I’m going to choose to take that as a compliment.”
Hunter shuddered when Theo wrapped one large hand around both their dicks and started rubbing, his movements skillful.
“Fuck, that’s good!” Hunter mumbled.
Theo took his mouth in a passionate kiss as he gave them both an expert hand job, his breaths leaving his nose in sharp pants, color staining his cheeks a dull pink under the light illuminating the cubicle.
Hunter curled his fingers in Theo’s thick, dark hair and returned the kiss greedily, his body straining toward the man who was pleasuring him, seeking closer contact.
Theo parted Hunter’s legs with his right thigh, clasped Hunter’s left knee with a powerful hand, and hooked it around his own leg, pressing their bodies together. Hunter moaned, stunned that Theo had done exactly what he’d been hungering for.
Theo let go of his mouth, nipped his jawline with strong white teeth, and lowered his head to nudge Hunter’s chin up. Hunter gasped when Theo’s hot lips found his throat. Theo rained scorching kisses across his feverish skin before finding the pulse at the base of his neck. He started a seductive bump and grind with his hips while he sucked on Hunter’s flesh and kneaded their swollen cocks with a firm hand.
The metal partition they were up against rattled loudly.
Theo stopped, his grip tightening on their erections in a way that sent sparks exploding across Hunter’s vision.
Hunter’s head reeled when Theo wrapped an arm around his waist, twisted around, and backed him against the tiled wall of the cubicle, his thigh still firmly wedged between Hunter’s.
“That’s better,” Theo said huskily. “Wouldn’t want the whole world to know what we’re doing in here.”
Hunter’s rationality dissolved into nothingness as Theo resumed his sexy thrusts, his movements indicating exactly what he wanted to do to Hunter while he stroked their stiff dicks briskly.
Pleasure sent bolts of whiteness shooting across Hunter’s mind. He could feel his orgasm building in throbbing waves in his belly and thighs. His balls tightened and his ass spasmed when Theo flicked a lazy thumb across the head of his leaking cock.
“Oh, Jesus!” Hunter panted. He fisted his hands in Theo’s hair and bucked his hips hard against Theo’s. “I’m so close!”
Theo grabbed a handful of tissue from the toilet roll dispenser. His mouth found Hunter’s as he worked them both toward their climax, his movements unrelenting.
He swallowed Hunter’s grunts of pleasure when they both came violently a moment later, his fingers closing on the heads of their pulsing shafts, capturing their shooting cum in the thick wad of tissue.
Hunter’s heart raced as he continued rolling his hips helplessly against Theo’s, his orgasm causing sweat to bead across his upper lip.
Theo licked at the salty drops, his hazel gaze torrid with lust as his dick throbbed and jumped against Hunter’s.
Their bodies finally shuddered and stilled. Blood thundered in Hunter’s head as he blinked dazedly at Theo, dumbfounded by how much pleasure he’d found in the man’s arms.
Theo leaned his hot forehead against Hunter’s, his breaths coming hard and fast in the aftermath of his own powerful orgasm.
“I want to fuck you so bad right now.”
Hunter froze at his words.
“I—we can’t,” he stammered after a shocked pause.
Theo’s expression grew serious. “I know. I heard what you said to those guys.”
Awkward silence fell between them as they stared at one another.
“I’m sorry.” Hunter pushed Theo away, zipped himself up hastily, and barged out of the cubicle.
He heard Theo call his name and practically ran out of the restrooms, scared by the feelings twisting through him. Because, for one disconcerting moment, he’d actually entertained the idea of letting Theo do exactly as he’d wanted.


 

Ava Marie Salinger is the pen name of an Amazon bestselling author who has always wanted to write scorching hot contemporary romance. In 2018, she finally decided to venture to the steamy side. NIGHTS is the first of several sizzling series featuring sweet, sexy men with dark pasts and a whole lot of love to give to the ones brave enough to fight for their hearts. When she’s not dreaming up hotties to write about, you’ll find Ava creating kickass music playlists to write to, spying on the wildlife in her garden, drooling over gadgets, and eating Chinese.
Want to be the first to know about Ava’s new releases and get access to exclusive content, sneak previews, sales, and giveaways? Then sign up to her Reader Group here and join her VIP Facebook Fan Group here.

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Take the Shot (Philadelphia Bulldogs) by Danica Flynn-Review Tour

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Take the Shot (Philadelphia Bulldogs #1) by Danica Flynn-Review & Giveaway Tour

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo paper / Google Play / Apple /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 2020

DINAH

When my husband died, I never thought I would find love again.

I definitely didn’t think I would find it in the arms of my younger best friend. Why would the hunky hockey player want anything to do with me? I’m a stressed out writer with a lot of baggage. Any other man would say, “HARD PASS!”

But Noah was the best man I’ve ever known, and if it wasn’t for him, I might not be alive.

But am I ready to put my heart on the line again?

NOAH

I’ve pined for my best friend for so long, that my teammates issued an ultimatum.

“Make your move now or one of us will ask her out.”

They are just trying to push me, besides none of those jerks would ever be good enough for her. Makes me wonder if I even stand a chance.

Besides, what would a smart woman like her want with a dumb jock like me?

••••••••

REVIEW:Take the Shot begins with Dinah in her apartment on a Friday night attempting to finish a draft of her second romance novel. From the sounds next door, her best friends, Noah and T.J., are having another party, which is confirmed when Noah texts her and invites her over. Knowing she’s at a dead end for the night with her writing, she agrees and heads to the party.

Once Dinah walks next door, she finds the party in full swing. She knows most in attendance as they have become her circle of friends too. Noah and T.J. are hockey players and a lot of their fellow teammates are there as well. Dinah considers herself lucky to have these people as her friends, especially Noah. She lost her husband a couple of years before to a terrible car accident. Immediately after, she discovered she was pregnant, only to have a miscarriage that almost killed her. Had Noah not found her passed out in the stairwell of their building, she would not have survived. He took her to the E.R. and stayed with her the whole time. Neither had ever breathed a word to anyone else about what had happened. Dinah had never even told her family.

Noah was always glad to see Dinah. Unknown to anyone else, or, so he thought, he had been in love with Dinah for a long time but has always done it from afar. Things were changing though……his friends knew he was in love with her and they told him to make his move, or get out of their way. Needless to say, that didn’t go over well.

As Noah starts to make his move, Dinah finds herself surprised. After all, why would a younger man want to be with her? The two of them begin to navigate a relationship once he convinces her that he is serious. However, through a series of events, Dinah finds herself scared and does the only thing she can think of to protect herself….run. Both are miserable without the other and have to decide if, indeed, they will take the shot.

Take the Shot is a nicely written story by Flynn. Both of the main characters were pretty well written. Dinah is strong, smart and independent. Noah is an old soul, a gentleman and very protective. The chemistry between the two of them, however, was almost tentative. I liked them together, but something was just a little disjointed for me. The secondary characters leave you wanting more of their story, which is always a plus. All, in all, this was a good start for the Philadelphia Bulldogs series and I can’t wait to read the next one in the series. Well done, Danica Flynn!

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Vickie K

Danica Flynn is a marketer by day, and a writer by nights and weekends. AKA she doesn’t sleep! She is a rabid hockey fan of both The Philadelphia Flyers and the Metropolitan Riveters. When not writing, she can be found hanging with her partner, playing video games, and reading a ton of books.

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Camp Lake by John A Heldt-Review, Guest Post & Giveaway

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Camp Lake (Carson Chronicles #5) by John A Heldt-Review, Guest Post & Giveaway

 

CAMP LAKE
The Carson Chronicles #5
by John A Heldt
Release Date: September 30, 2019
Genre: time travel, romance

 

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date: September 30, 2019

Phoenix, Spring 1983. For the Carsons, five siblings from the present day, it has come down to this. Find the parents they have chased through time for more than two years or go home and resume their lives without them.

While Adam and Greg remain in Arizona and Natalie searches the country for leads, Cody and Caitlin travel to a summer camp in Maine, where their mother and father met as counselors. The twins, now 19, hope to intercept the older versions of their parents even as they work beside the younger ones.

All of the Carsons prepare for a reunion that seems inevitable. Then tragedy strikes one family member and seductive strangers pull two others in unhelpful directions as a summer of promise turns into one of uncertainty and sacrifice.

Filled with humor, romance, and heartbreak, CAMP LAKE, the poignant conclusion of the Carson Chronicles series, follows the lives of several spirited adults as they confront choices and change the era of big hair, space shuttles, and video arcades.

••••••••

REVIEW:CAMP LAKE is the fifth and final instalment in John A Heldt’s CARSON CHRONICLES time travel romance series focusing on the Carson family.

SOME BACKGROUND: The Carson Chronicles focuses on the Carson siblings, a family of time travellers, as they search for their missing parents Tim and Caroline Carson. Months earlier, the siblings discovered their parents had disappeared but an itinerary of places and timelines found the family on a journey of their own. Starting in 2017, the siblings travelled back in time to 1889, 1918, the tumultuous era of 1943-44, 1962 where the Cuban Missile Crisis is about to unfold, and presently arriving in 1983.

Told from several third person perspectives CAMP LAKE is the culmination of twenty-eight months ‘on the road’ as the Carson siblings search for their missing parents Tim and Caroline Carson. The year is 1983, and the family have crossed paths on numerous occasions without running into one another. At Camp Lake, a summer camp where Tim and Caroline Carson first met and fell in love, twins Caitlin and Cody Carson, as well as Caitilin’s lover Dennis Sawyer, find themselves working as camp counsellors, where they will meet the younger version of their now missing parents. But things don’t go according to plans when their parents’ romance is threatened by someone else.

At Camp Lake, Cody, the lone single sibling, believes he has met his future, in the past. Karen O’Reilly, the camp botanist, pulls Cody in like a moth to a flame, but not all is well in Karen’s world, and Cody is about to discover that his previously shattered heart is about to be broken, once again.

Meanwhile, Tim and Caroline Carson believe they have located their children but once again, paths will be crossed, as the siblings continue their search one step ahead of, or behind, their missing parents.

CAMP LAKE and the Carson Chronicles is an imaginative and original series; a cleverly written story of family, struggle, memories and love. Unlike the previous instalments, 1983 is but a year wherein the family takes center stage-history is barely afforded a mention. An engaging and enchanting story line, CAMP LAKE and the Carson Chronicles is an energetic, animated and brilliant addition to your reading library.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
River Rising
The Memory Tree
Indian Paintbrush
Caitlin’s Song

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

As one who has written fifteen novels that blend both fact and fiction, I know firsthand the importance of getting it right. Writing about time travel, after all, requires more than describing the means of travel. It requires accurately depicting the past. It requires meeting the standards of quality historical fiction.

The challenges are often daunting, particularly when writing about the recent past, as I have done on multiple occasions. When writing about places and times that are in the living memory of many readers, you have to make an extra effort to get even the little things right.

When I wrote my first novel, The Mine, a story set mostly in Seattle in 1941, a few older readers gently reminded me that chocolate-chip cookies were more commonly called “Toll House cookies” and that aluminum foil was generally called “tin foil,” even after aluminum replaced tin as its primary component. Since that time, I have done what I could to ensure the historical accuracy of my books, which have spanned eras ranging from the 1880s to the 1980s.

Like many writers of historical fiction, I favor primary sources, such as newspapers, documents, letters, photographs, and oral histories. I generally find eyewitness accounts of events and eras, produced by those who lived through them, to be more compelling than even the best research compiled decades – or even a few years – after the fact.

Even so, I don’t limit myself. When preparing to write about times I did not experience, I will often sample the movies, music, and literature of the day. I find it easier to describe Americans of the 1950s and early 1960s, for example, if I immerse myself in the very things that drove them to theaters, concert halls, and libraries.

On some occasions, I look closer to home. When writing The Journey, set in 1979 and 1980, and Camp Lake, my newest book, set in 1983, I relied mostly on memories of — and mementos from — my senior year of high school and my experience at a summer camp in Maine.

No matter where I turn for answers, however, I follow advice that has been around for decades. When writing historical fiction, even in the context of time travel, pay attention to details. Note the nuances and the particulars. Sweat the small stuff.

~~John A Heldt~~

Follow John: Goodreads / Facebook / Website/Blog/ Twitter / Amazon / Instagram / Tumblr

 I’m a married father of two grown daughters and a son and, as of August 15, the grandfather of a delightful little girl named Stella. Before turning to novel writing in 2011, I worked as a sports writer and editor for several newspapers in Oregon and Washington, where I was born and raised, and several more years as a reference librarian in Montana. I love traveling around the western United States, watching sports, cooking, and experiencing the great outdoors. I currently make my home in the Las Vegas, Nevada, area.

 

 

John A Heldt is graciously offering the complete CARSON CHRONICLES 5 ebook time travel  series (mobi or epub)  to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe

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THE FALLEN : Genesis by Tillie Cole-Review & Excerpt

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THE FALLEN : Genesis (Deadly Virtues 0.5) by Tillie Cole-Review and Excerpt

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / ibooks

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 28, 2019

The Fallen: Genesis is a prequel novella in The Deadly Virtues Series and MUST be read before RAPHAEL (DV: book one).

*****
THE FALLEN: GENESIS
(A Deadly Virtues Prequel)

IN THE BEGINNING…

They told them they were evil.
They told them they were possessed by demons.
They told them that darkness ran in their veins.

Holy Innocents Home for Children is a haven for orphaned boys who have nothing and no one. The priests watch over them, educate them, raise them in the family of the church.

Except for some.

Seven of the orphans are no ordinary boys. They attract the attention of the priests for their acts of violence, of bloodlust. The priests realize these boys are drawn to the darkness.

And the priests are no ordinary priests. They are the Brethren, a secret sect who believe themselves on a divine mission to seek out evil in the boys in their care. Seek it out, and then drive it out.

The seven have fallen from God’s grace. And the Brethren will cleanse their blackened souls…

Dark Contemporary Romance novella. Contains sexual situations, violence, sensitive and taboo subjects, offensive language and topics some may find triggering. Recommended for age 18 years and up.

•••••••••

REVIEW: THE FALLEN : Genesis is the prequel novella in Tillie Cole’s contemporary, adult DEADLY VIRTUES dark, romance series focusing on a group of former orphans raised and tortured by a rogue organization of priests known as The Brethren.

NOTE: Due to the dark subject matter, there may be some triggers for more sensitive reasers.

Told from third person perspective (Joseph aka Gabriel) THE FALLEN: Genesis follows a group of orphaned boys, believed to be possessed by demons, who must endure years of violence and torture in the name of Jesus Christ and God. The seven, who will come to be known as The Fallen, named for the archangels of the Catholic faith, must submit to their controllers in an attempt to rid them of the darkness within. At the age of eighteen, Joseph aka Gabriel, will be offered his freedom, a freedom that comes at a cost. Fast forward ten years, wherein Gabriel is now the leader of The Fallen, and their paths have been chosen based on sins of the past.

THE FALLEN: Genesis introduces the The Fallen: a group of young boys, now men whose baser instincts go against the norm. A dark, gritty and raw look at the evil that lies within men, and the lengths some will go to in order for power and control.

Copy supplied for review.

Review by Sandy

NOTE: Excerpt intended for mature readers 18+ due to graphic content

 

 

Joseph watched helplessly as James moved from his place against the far wall toward a boy on a chair on the opposite side of the room. A boy who had slim knives embedded in his arms and legs—a human pin cushion.
Joseph shivered as he recalled his brother’s expression a moment ago as he’d sat and stared at the knives he had sliced into the boy’s flesh. James, the sadistic voyeur of his own work. Joseph’s nervous eyes landed on his brother’s target. The boy was bound with ropes, and a washcloth was stuffed into his mouth, silencing his cries.
Luke.
Fear flooded Joseph’s body. Luke, the boy who had been intent on bullying James since the age of eight. The boy who would spit at James’s feet when they walked by. The boy who call him weird, a goth, a psychopath who rarely spoke. His taunts were endless. Joseph didn’t think the verbal bullets had ever hit their target . . . until he’d found a pad of paper hidden underneath James’s bed. A pad of paper showing in graphic detail what James wanted to do to Luke.
Tie him up.
Cut his flesh.
Exsanguinate his body.
Then drink the blood down.
“They’re just fantasy, right?” Joseph asked James when he returned from detention. Joseph held up the drawings. Page after page of pain and despair and cruelty.
James walked slowly to Joseph and ran his hand down the open page of the pad, delicately running his fingertip over the pencil image of Luke’s slit throat. “It’s a promise,” James said, with no shame in his voice. “Each page is what will happen to Luke.” James finally met his older brother’s eyes. “I’m just waiting for the perfect time.”
From that day on Joseph made sure Luke never got too close to James, for fear of what his younger brother would do. Because Joseph believed every word his brother had said.
The truth was, Joseph knew that someday, if he wasn’t stopped, James would do something so terrible he wouldn’t be able to come back from it.
And Joseph had no idea how to cure James. He didn’t know how to heal his little brother of the wretchedness that had lodged itself into his soul. He prayed for a miracle he knew would never come.
Joseph’s heart pounded as James held up another knife. His brother’s torso was bare, the scars from his frequent self-mutilation clear to see, white roads of flesh mapping the veins that ran under his skin. Veins that carried the blood James so desperately craved; nightly, once safe in their room, he would slice them open and lick the falling drops as they ran in crimson rivulets down his arms.
Joseph thrashed on the bed, fighting the binds James must have placed him in while he slept. “James, listen to me,” Joseph said as he helplessly watched his brother slowly push his blade into Luke’s shoulder. Luke’s chair almost fell as he screamed into the washcloth, the fabric absorbing his cry. But James didn’t even flinch. Joseph’s stomach clenched when the blood started to pour from Luke’s shoulder as James carefully extracted the blade.
Eleven. That’s all James was. Eleven years old, yet thought only of blood . . . worse, even . . . thought only about the consumption of blood.


 

Tillie Cole hails from a small town in the North-East of England. She grew up on a farm with her English mother, Scottish father and older sister and a multitude of rescue animals. As soon as she could, Tillie left her rural roots for the bright lights of the big city.

After graduating from Newcastle University with a BA Hons in Religious Studies, Tillie followed her Professional Rugby player husband around the world for a decade, becoming a teacher in between and thoroughly enjoyed teaching High School students Social Studies before putting pen to paper, and finishing her first novel.

Tillie has now settled in Austin, Texas, where she is finally able to sit down and write, throwing herself into fantasy worlds and the fabulous minds of her characters.

Tillie is both an independent and traditionally published author, and writes many genres including: Contemporary Romance, Dark Romance, Young Adult and New Adult novels.

When she is not writing, Tillie enjoys nothing more than curling up on her couch watching movies, drinking far too much coffee, while convincing herself that she really doesn’t need that extra square of chocolate.

Author Links

Web  http://tilliecole.com
Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/tilliecoleauthor
Twitter  https://twitter.com/tillie_cole
Instagram  https://instagram.com/authortilliecole
Amazon  https://amzn.to/2ZbIEUP
Goodreads http://bit.ly/2Ui2wlk

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Talen by Shay Savage-a review

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TALEN by Shay Savage-a review

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 19, 2019

In a world plagued by constant earthquakes and volcanic debris, people in the valley struggle to survive while those on top of the hill want for nothing.

This is where I come in.

I spend my nights plundering supplies in the walled city of Hilltop, and I trade them to the valley people below. I’m not a thief. I prefer to be known as the head of Lost and Found.

When I discover a beautiful but dangerous competitor in my territory, I also learn she knows more about me than she should. Is she a spy sent by my father, or is she a rebel like me? I don’t trust her, but together we’ll discover secrets that may destroy what’s left of our world.

There have always been those with wealth and those without.

My name is Talen, and I’m here to even the score.

•••••••••••

REVIEW: TALEN by Shay Savage is a post –apocalyptic, dystopian romance story line focusing on twenty-seven year olds Talen and Aerin, survivors in a world gone to h*ll.

Told from first person perspective (Talen) TALEN follows a hundred plus years after the ‘Great Eruption’ in which most of North America fell prey to earthquakes, floods, viruses and death, leaving the survivors divided into two warring camps-the Thaves (the haves), and the Naughts (have nots). Talen lives amongst the Naughts and ‘procures’ the necessities of survival for the people he has learned to call family and friends. Segregated in a valley, in a small encampment known as ‘Plastictown, the Naughts battle the elements, the environment and one another in order to survive. As the resident ‘thief’ and ‘lost and found’ expert, Talen ventures into a world many will never experience, in the hopes of finding the tools and necessary implements in order to survive. Enter Aerin, a young woman whose own adventures find her ‘hunting’ in the land of the Thaves, where upon she will come face to face with her future. What ensues is the building relationship between Talen and Aerin, and the potential fall-out as the Thaves descend upon the remaining survivors in an attempt to take everything and more.

TALEN is a story of betrayal, vengeance, survival and loss; power and contol. Talen and Aerin both have secrets that if revealed would deeply affect their precarious friendships with the remaining Naughts. As the government and Thaves put their plans into action, Talen and Aerin must face a possible future alone or not at all. Working together, Talen and Aerin ensure that the people in power pay for the current situation, and the death of their friends.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful, energetic and broken characters. We are up close and personal with the people who struggle one day at a time-people who never knew the comforts of living a life without the daily battle to survive. The requisite evil has many faces.

TALEN is a thought-provoking and cautionary tale of what if; what if the world as we know it was destroyed by climate change and the fall-out of man’s destruction of the environment? The premise is imaginative; the characters are eclectic and spirited; the romance is passionate and emotional, without the use of over the top,sexually graphic language and text.

I am not sure if the author has plans for a series but there are a large number of characters and open ended plot points that could use some resolution.

Own a copy

Reviewed by Sandy

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Siren’s Curse (The Cursed Seas Collection) by Carly Fall-a review

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SIREN’S CURSE (The Cursed Seas Collection ) by Carly Fall-a review

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date December 20, 2018

Her Siren Clan is dying, and she’ll face death to save them.

The only thing that can reverse the curse and save her people from extinction is a long-lost Legacy Stone.

But Rainie won’t be able to find it alone. She must travel to land and locate a mage who knows where the magical stone is hidden. With the assistance of the one man willing to help her, they battle foreign creatures and the most dangerous animals of all – humans – while looking for the stone.

Death hunts them down at every turn. And even if they can find the stone in time to save her people, the cost of her clan’s survival may be paid with her own life.

••••••••••

REVIEW: SIREN’S CURSE by Carly Fall is a stand alone, dystopian, fantasy story line in the multi-authored Cursed Seas Collection.

SIREN’S CURSE follows Rainie, a hunter-siren who volunteers to go in search of the Legacy Stone, a stone purported to reverse the curse inflicted upon her people, years before, by the mage who granted the once-humans the ability to live and breath under water. Knowing her people were on the verge of extinction, not only from a lack of food but the monstrous beasts that inhabited the waters, Rainie will soon find herself ‘the hunted’ as sirens are traded to pirates in exchange for food and clean water. Meeting Jonah, a human male, gives Rainie a hope for the future but a series of trials, misfortunes, betrayal and attacks on their journey into the unknown, finds our couple struggling to survive. What ensues is the building relationship between Rainie and Jonah as they search for the Legacy Stone, and the mage who started it all.

SIREN’S CURSE looks to the future as most of the planet Earth is under water; monsters and beasts hunt humans for food; and those who survive battle thirst and famine. SIREN’S CURSE is a dystopian tale of adventure and survival, endurance and strength. The text is simple and easy to read, feeling more like a young adult story line. An imaginative tale with a determined heroine who struggles against the odds.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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Outlaw King (Renegade Scots #1) by Julie Johnstone-Dual Review, Guest Post & Giveaway

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Outlaw King (Renegade Scots #1) by Julie Johnstone-Dual Review, Guest Post & Giveaway

OUTLAW KING
Renegade Scots #1)
by Julie Johnstone
Release Date: August 31, 2018
Genre: adult, historical, medieval, romance

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo / Google Play

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 31, 2018

She’s the weapon intended to destroy him. He’s the key to her freedom.

Dark days have come to medieval Scotland, and fierce warrior Robert the Bruce would do anything to release his country from English rule—and not just because he’s the rightful heir to the Scottish throne. As the bloody war rages on, enemies on both sides of the fight surround him, and Robert must dance a dangerous line between truth and deception. One misstep could topple his nation and cost him his life, yet one woman tempts him—and threatens his mission—as no other ever has.

Elizabeth de Burgh longs for freedom in a time when women have none. So when she finds herself ordered by her ruthless father and her godfather, the King of England, to seduce the leader of the Scottish rebellion and reveal his secrets, she yearns to fight back against their cruel plot. But they threaten to kill her beloved cousin, leaving her no choice but to comply. As she grows close to Robert and the mask that hides the man who would be king is peeled away, she cannot imagine aiding in the destruction of the noble Scot bent on liberating his people.

Bound by duty and honor but ensnared by passion, Robert and Elizabeth must determine if they are each other’s biggest threat or greatest source of strength. And moreover, they must decide how much they are willing to risk for the one thing neither ever imagined they’d find with the other—extraordinary, boundless love.

••••••••

Georgianna’s REVIEW:Outlaw King is book one of the new Renegade Scots Series by Julie Johnstone. It’s a historical romance that relies on historical research and a bit of literary license by the author to make the story flow and engaging to the reader.
This is the story of Robert the Bruce and Elizabeth de Burgh.

It begins in 1296 AD in Northern Scotland. This is a complicated story of not doing what you want, but what you must do to survive. Robert the Bruce’s father is old and probably soon to die. Bruce, the elder is basically a coward and refuses to fight the English. As his son, Robert is required to serve the man his father is allied with, so he’s in the process of helping the King take strongholds in Scotland. During this battle, Robert decides he is on the wrong side of the fight. It’s during this battle that Elizabeth de Burgh, disguised as a squire, helps to save many Scots from being burned alive by her father’s order. She must then return with her father and face his wrath, but first thanked Robert for aiding her… and that began their story.

How they managed to actually fall in love, despite the circumstances was a remarkable story. The writing is excellent, the history interesting, the romance and love scenes hot, the action not too brutal.

I loved this story and look forward to the next in this series. For me there’s no high as outstanding as a highlander renegade Scot.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Georgianna

––––––––––––––––

Julie’s REVIEW: Books that are based in fact are always tricky. Do you believe everything you read ? Or do you just go in and read it for what it is ?

Robert the Bruce was an actual character in history as was Elizabeth, so with bated breath I opened my kindle …..

Beautifully written and very descriptive, I could imagine roaming the hills.

Elizabeth has a job to do …..seduce “the Bruce” and finds out all she can about his army and intention’s towards England.

But Elizabeth isn’t happy with that deal, she is ordered by both the king of England and her father to do her duty (you have to remember that women had NO SAY in what they did in those days) all she wants is a quiet life, and when they threaten her beloved cousins life, Elizabeth sees no other choice but to do ask they demand.

But the legend is nothing like the man, and Elizabeth must make a choice …. the man or her family ??

Robert wants his Scotland free from the tyranny of England, and soon a bloody war erupts, so he has enough on his plate with war and feuding clans, the last thing he needs is Elizabeth ruining his concentration, but she does that, and soon Robert will need to reveal to Elizabeth his plans …. can he trust her, or will she betray him ? And will he use her to fool the English, ensuring she hates him forever ??

Reviewed by Julie B

 

How much do you really want to know?

As a writer of historical romance when I’m developing my story I often have to ask myself how important is historical accuracy. You may be surprised to learn that is not such an easy question to answer for every aspect of the story. Sometimes, I feel like a circus tight rope walker balancing precariously on a very thin cord. To my left sit readers who think they want complete accuracy in their historical fiction novels, but to my right fall the readers who want a dab of accuracy here and there. I’ve learned this through 22 published historical romance novels.

So just how important is accuracy in historical fiction when you are trying to please two different mindsets of people? For me, accuracy is very important because I want readers to get a true picture of what was really happening in the time my book pertains to. However, I’m very aware that I cannot be totally accurate with every single aspect of history.

Take for example my Medieval books. If I wrote the books in Gaelic, as the Scots spoke in Medieval times, the modern day reader would not even understand the book. The same holds true for my Regency books. If I used all of the words that they did in the Regency period many of them have gone completely out of use. The modern reader would not grasp the meaning of my sentences. I have to pick and choose the words I use in my historical books very carefully. I like to pepper in actual words that were used during the time for authenticity without sacrificing accuracy.

On the flip side of using words no longer in existence, I have to be very careful not to use words that seem too modern and would pull the reader out of the time period of the story. I actually have a word bank that my editor and I have developed which contains thousands of words and expressions that were not in use in the Medieval and Regency period. We spent countless hours finding substitutes for these words so that my stories would be as historically accurate as possible while not causing the reader to stumble over a word.
Sometimes the historical accuracy of what I know about certain words as a researcher can come into direct conflict with the history that I realize many readers think they know of a term. For example, I would never use the word ‘claymore’ to speak of a sword in my Scottish Medieval books because the word was not used in reference to swords until the 18 century, yet many readers believe that all swords should be called claymores. Thanks, Hollywood. ☺

I have to make decisions all the time about whether to go with what I know to be the absolute truth or what I know to be reader expectation. I make these decisions on a case by case basis. Another example is bathing. Most people do not want to hear in stories that your character has not bathed in quite a while, so I chose to bend historical accuracy in this instance and make all of my character hygienic. Now, you will not find a laird in a modern day bubble bath day after day, but he will take a dip in a loch more than once a month. See how niftily accuracy can be bent just a tad while maintaining as much historical integrity as possible and delivering a wonderful reader experience.

Another fun example is clothing. I always put my characters in historically accurate clothing, but when it comes time for the steamy love scenes, those many layers of clothes are going to come off a lot quicker than they would in real life. If stayed completely accurate with how long it really took to disrobe, I fear my readers would get bored. However, a caveat to this statement is that I have often taken off layers of clothing on characters while working in a kiss here, a caress there or even turned the disrobing into a game of seduction where each layer removed increased the tension in the room. But sometimes this is not possible, and the clothes just have to go quickly!
As far as dates and actual events that take place, I like to stick to the facts and not change these things. I will never put a historical battle at a time or place that it wasn’t, but I will certainly make up characters that didn’t exist and put them there. However, the characters I create from my imagination could have existed, and that makes all the difference.
Whenever I use events or places that existed, I put in hours of countless research to make sure I am historically accurate because I feel there should be no bending on this type of thing. But sometimes, I have been known to make up a castle or an event, which is why what I write is called fiction. ☺

In my newest book, OUTLAW KING, RENEGADE SCOTS, Book 1, I like to say it is a marriage of historical accuracy meets author imagination. I hope you will consider reading it! I could go on about historical accuracy forever, but I have to go write my next book! How important is historical accuracy to you as a reader? One commenter will win a digital copy of OUTLAW KING.

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Author Julie Johnstone first fell in love with romance fifteen years ago when she picked up her first romance novel in an airport gift shop on the way to Conroe, Texas for a family reunion and spent her whole weekend reading rather than water skiing, which up until then was one of her favorite things to do.

Julie is staying up way too late and typing furiously on her keyboard to finish her next book or blog with her fellow authors at Ladyscribes. Julie is married to an amazing lawyer and when she is not running her two precocious children to one activity or another she is trying to seek out some time to stay in shape and see her dearest friends.

Julie Johstone is graciously offering an ebook copy of OUTLAW KING to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

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