Blog Visit: NineStar Press 1st Anniversary!!!


We're so happy to host NineStar Press as they celebrate their 1st anniversary!! Happy birthday, NineStar from BMBR!!







It’s our first anniversary.
Thanks to Boy Meets Boy Reviews for hosting us today!


Don't forget to comment here, on our Facebook posts, and our Tweets. We will be giving books away each day to commenters.

You will also be added to the drawing for a FREE year of books.

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Some thoughts from Sera Trevor, a proofreader in the NSP family.

I wanted to take a moment to talk about NineStar Press, the company who will be publishing my next book. NineStar is having its first anniversary this week, which is very exciting! I’ve been proofreading for them for about six months now, and it’s been a wonderful experience. Everyone there is a fantastic human being, working hard to bring readers great books. But in addition to that, NineStar is a little different from most small gay romance presses. We publish across the entire spectrum of queer experiences: every letter in LGTBQA is represented in our catalog, including books that do not fall under the parameters of the romance genre.
As to why this is so important, you can read our owner’s statement about her own quest to find herself here. I was extremely moved by Raevyn’s statement about what this company means to her. I urge you to read her post in its entirety, but the gist of it is that when she was young, she had no narratives to help her navigate her queer identity. In all of the books she read, there were no voices like hers, no people like her, and that lack had a devastating impact on her life. In her post, she says: “I want LGBTQA+ people of color to be able to find their likenesses in characters. I want great Lit/Genre Fiction books out there to show that gay/lesbian/queer people have a voice. Trans people can be in hetero relationships, and Bi people are still bi, even if they end up with someone of the opposite gender. Ace people can have loving and fulfilling relationships without sex scenes, and characters can be gender fluid. Mostly, I want people to see they can find a character like them who is okay and “right” and BEAUTIFUL.”
It’s a wonderful mission statement, and one that I am thrilled to support in my own small way, both as an author and as a proofreader.
But in addition to providing stories for LGBTQA+ people to find themselves in, I think it’s also important to acknowledge the powers of these narratives to reach out to people who do not identify as queer. All over the world, there has been a pushback against empathy and tolerance. The United States especially is entering into a very dark period; large swaths of the country have rejected inclusiveness in favor of insulation and ignorance.
The good news is that people have been fighting back. As a part of NineStar’s mission, Raevyn has pledged that NineStar will donate to Planned Parenthood, the ACLUThe Trevor ProjectRAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), and the National Center for Transgender Equality. Every week in our newsletter, she highlights a charity that could use our help. It’s our way of making our voices heard in these difficult times.
But even beyond donating to important causes, NineStar and all queer publishers are already forces of powerful, positive change in the world. And it’s not only the publishers: it’s you, too! As a reader of queer narratives, no matter what orientation you are, YOU are changing the world every time you read a book. I know it sounds a little out there, so let me explain.
One of my favorite academics, Steven Pinker, wrote a book that changed the way I see the world: The Better Angels of Our Nature. It’s a very dense, 844 page book about history, psychology, and philosophy, so it’s impossible to sum up here. However, there is one small section that I found amazing as someone who reads and writes books. He states that “The growth of writing and literacy strikes me as the best candidate for an exogenous change that helped set off the Humanitarian Revolution.”
He goes on to explain that literature—and in particular, the novel—gave people the ability to “live” other people’s experiences. The novel as an art form emerged in the early 18th century and exploded in popularity in the 19th century. Printing presses, cheap paper, and a more literate population made the mass dissemination of novels a possibility for the first time. The special thing about novels is that they require people to put aside their own sense of self for a time and put the thoughts and experiences of characters in their minds instead.
This was a radical form of empathy, the likes of which the world had never seen before. Pinker tells an anecdote about an officer in the British army weeping over Pamela, a melodramatic novel about the misadventures of a young woman. Until he read that book, that man probably had never thought about what it must feel like to be a fifteen-year-old maidservant, but thanks to Pamela, he found himself living the experiences of a person vastly unlike himself.
Charles Dickens understood the power of the novel when he wrote his incredibly popular books. In addition to being a literary genius, he was also a passionate advocate for the rights of children and the poor. His books asked comfortable middle- and upper-class people to live the experiences of the less fortunate, which helped push Victorian society toward social reform. Over on the other side of the Atlantic, Harriet Beecher Stowe used her words to change her society as well. Her book Uncle Tom’s Cabin, a novel about slavery in America, energized the Abolitionist movement, so much so that when Lincoln met her, he said, “so you are the little woman who wrote the book that started this great war.”
This is why novels matter. When people talk about the importance of representation in books and media, it’s not only for the benefit of those who are searching for validation of their own identities. It’s also a way into the hearts and minds of people who may otherwise dismiss the experiences of those different from themselves.
That’s why I feel so strongly about NineStar’s mission. A good book is not just a pleasure to read—it’s also an empathy machine. With every novel that you read, you become a better, more compassionate person. I urge you to share novels you love with people who could maybe benefit from a change of perspective. Novels change lives, and when they change enough lives, they can change the world.

Review: Changing Worlds (Worlds #1-2) by Cari Z.

2nd Edition

Their love will either inspire change in the world or tear it apart.

Former starship captain Jason Kim and his lover, Ferran, are starting a life together on Ferran's native planet. The Perel matriarchs reluctantly allowed their marriage in the hopes of securing better diplomatic relations with humanity, even though the decision ignites anger from traditionalists. Ferran's family accepts Jason and the love the two men have found, but other influential families are less accommodating and much less willing to welcome an outsider to their isolated, subterranean world. Some of their enemies are willing to go as far as eliminating Jason permanently. Tensions are quickly building toward a breaking point that might push Perelan into a bloody civil war.

If Jason and Ferran have any hope of surviving the coming conflict, they'll have to rely on their devotion to each other more than ever before. But that won't be easy when a figure from Jason's past reappears to make them question everything.

First Edition of Opening Worlds published by Storm Moon Press, 2011.
First Edition of Changing Worlds published by Storm Moon Press, 2012
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When starship captain Jason Kim first meets Ferran, he decides to avoid the Perel alien who makes him feel things he hasn’t felt for a long time. But Ferran pursues him with determination, and it’s not long before Jason gives in. When the two fall in love, things get complicated because Ferran’s traditional society isn’t likely to accept a human in their midst.


But after Ferran’s powerful family pulls a few strings, Jason’s wish to be with Ferran is fulfilled. However the traditionalist Perels are determined to get rid of Jason. As the situation escalates, Ferran and Jason soon finds themselves fighting for their lives.


I’ve generally enjoyed Cari Z’s sci-fi books, so I jumped on the chance to read this re-released version of one of her earlier publications. ‘Changing Worlds’ consists of two parts - the short story of how Jason and Ferran first met, and then the longer tale of their time on Perelan, Ferran’s home planet.


description


The beginning of Ferran and Jason’s romance is sweet and sexy. The two meet when Ferran is a passenger on Jason’s ship, and then spend their free time together over the next few weeks. Yes, it’s fairly insta-lovey, but they meshed well together, and Jason just stole my heart. When they were separated, I could feel Jason’s pain, made worse because he had been alone for so long.


I was happy to see Jason and Ferran reunited, and was looking forward to getting to know the two better in the second part of the book.


When Ferran and Jason arrive at Perelan, they have to deal with the Perel matriarchs who oppose their relationship. The MCs rely on each other for support. But as the situation got more tense, Jason and Ferran began drifting apart.


I felt that at a certain point, the relationship was drowned out by everything else that was going on. The political plot took centre-stage, and the romance faded into the background. There was a lot of telling, but I didn’t really get to see why Ferran and Jason loved each other.


Plus, there was a lot of worldbuilding in the second part, which in itself was interesting and obviously took a lot of thought and work, but it overwhelmed the romance. I would have preferred more page time given to Jason and Ferran, who already weren’t spending a lot of time together because of their separate duties. Instead, there were pages of details on the Perel homeland and their customs.


Although I did like the exploration of xenophobia and nationalism. Given the political climate in many countries right now, I could appreciate what the author was trying to convey.


The climactic end was a bit predictable, but I was glad that Jason and Ferran got the happy ever after they deserved. I think the main reason I had trouble connecting to this book is that I’ve read a fair amount of MM sci-fi, and so much of ‘Changing Worlds’ felt too familiar to capture my attention.


Overall, this was an okay read. I liked Jason and Ferran together, but their romance ended up taking a backseat to the plot and worldbuilding. If you’re looking for some MM sci-fi with a lot of plot, this might be the book for you.


Find more info on Dreamspinner Press or Goodreads!

Blog Tour: Equipoise (Ennek #3) by Kim Fielding


Kim Fielding is here today to talk about the re-release of the third book in her alternate universe series, the Ennek Trilogy


I’m Kim Fielding, and I’m not exactly a fashion plate.

As I write this, I’m wearing fuzzy blue socks, skull-print leggings, one of my several Dreamspinner T-shirts, and a slightly ratty oversized gray sweater I bought a few years ago at H&M in Croatia. Yeah, I doubt Vogue will come calling on me anytime soon.

While I may not often expend a lot of thought and energy on my own wardrobe, I think about clothing a lot when I write. What a character wears tells us a great deal about his place his life, his socioeconomic status, his goals, and the image he presents to others. For example, in a book I have coming out next month (Love Is Heartless), small but mighty Detective Nevin Ng wears custom-tailored suits with bright-colored dress shirts. On the other hand, Jimmy from Rattlesnake wears work boots, old jeans, and whatever T-shirts he happens to own—although nowadays he also wears the blue Pendleton flannel shirt that his boyfriend Shane gave him. Chris from the Bones series is also in old jeans, but his T-shirt probably sports a faded logo from a rock group. And William from The Tin Box tends toward loafers, khaki slacks, and button-down shirts.

Dressing characters in contemporary stories is important, but the details become even more vital when writing in other genres. For example, when I wrote The Pillar, I did a fair amount of research on clothing from 15th century Bosnia, and for my upcoming short, “The Tale of August Hayling,” I needed to know what a gold miner in 1850 California would be wearing.

Fantasy stories give a writer all sorts of chances to be creative about costuming. But of course clothes should reflect the culture, the climate, and the level of technology. The first book of my Ennek trilogy, Stasis, takes place in the city-state of Praesidium—which is essentially late 19th century alternate-universe San Francisco. Ennek is the son of the city’s Chief, so he wears formal wool suits with long top coats. When he and Miner travel across the ocean to alternate-universe China in Flux, however, their clothing changes considerably, falling more along the lines of loose trousers and silk tunics—and a scarf for Miner, to hide the slave collar he still wears. And now we’ve come to the final book, Equipoise, where they’ll return home. They’re still fugitives, however, and they end up spending time in a nearby city-state where clothing styles tend more toward 19th century frontier wear.

I have a lot more fun dressing my characters than I do choosing my own outfits. Clearly.


What do some of your favorite fictional people wear?

Blurb:

Ennek, the son of the Chief, and Miner, a former slave, have escaped the totalitarian city-state of Praesidium and remain fugitives. Having defeated two mighty wizards, they begin to realize complete freedom can be as dangerous as absolute power. Now Ennek and Miner must face battles, corruption, and further journeys through lands both new and familiar.

As they grow more secure in their relationship, they learn the greatest challenges sometimes come from very close to the heart and everything of value has a price. With the help of a few allies, they seek equipoise—a balance for themselves and for their world.




Buy Links: 



About Kim Fielding:

Kim Fielding is the bestselling author of numerous m/m romance novels, novellas, and short stories. Like Kim herself, her work is eclectic, spanning genres such as contemporary, fantasy, paranormal, and historical. Her stories are set in alternate worlds, in 15th century Bosnia, in modern-day Oregon. Her heroes are hipster architect werewolves, housekeepers, maimed giants, and conflicted graduate students. They’re usually flawed, they often encounter terrible obstacles, but they always find love.

After having migrated back and forth across the western two-thirds of the United States, Kim calls the boring part of California home. She lives there with her husband, her two daughters, and her day job as a university professor, but escapes as often as possible via car, train, plane, or boat. This may explain why her characters often seem to be in transit as well. She dreams of traveling and writing full-time.

Twitter: @KFieldingWrites

Review: Frostbitten by Charlotte Stein

Shy nurse Cora both dreads and lives for the moments she sees Zeke, an orderly at the hospital where she works. Zeke is too handsome, too compelling, too much, and seems totally unaware of Cora. But before she can bring herself to his attention, an explosion rips through the hospital Christmas party.

Zeke has noticed Cora—in fact, he’s so irresistibly drawn to her that he saves her from the explosion by turning her into a vampire, much to the jealousy and resentment of his partner, Merrick. Zeke hates being a vampire, and now that she’ll live, doesn’t want Cora to suffer his fate. If they can both resist the overwhelming instinct to bond, joining their bodies as Cora draws her maker’s blood, she might be able to return to her normal human life.

As Merrick uses every erotic trick to keep Zeke distracted from the blood passion, Cora becomes more and more drawn to both of her reluctant captors. And more and more happy to abandon her old life in exchange for an eternity with two hot immortal lovers. All she has to do is convince Merrick and Zeke that being a vampire isn’t all that bad.





Quite possibly the most restrained "hedonistic" vampires ever.

I thought for sure this would be a slam dunk.

à M̩nage
√ Vamps
√ Charlotte Stein

How could it go this wrong? HOWWWW???

Admittedly it's been awhile since I read a Charlotte Stein, but I just knew I was in for a smutfest of epic proportions; the kind that would leave my kindle kinda sticky. I was so looking forward to it too. Frostbitten is kind of smutty but the smut is mostly a product of Cora's thoughts rather than any actual grinding. I like tension if it's for the sake of relationship development but the relationship developing between these three is all based on something call a "fever". I usually like the fated/destined trope but I didn't like or connect with any of these characters I mean, if you can fight off your destiny for weeks when it's right under your nose, ripe for the taking is it really your fate?

Nevertheless, I would've found a way to get on board this "fever" deal had it been more like this.



But it felt more like this.




So yeah, kinda hokey. I might've been able to roll with the hokey had they gotten their sandwich on, but it just turned into a strange love triangle that reminded me of that Strokes song. Again, not what I bargained for and made me feel bad for Merrick because no one wants to be the third wheel, or in this case thrown over for a "fevered" RN. Not to worry, eventually things even out because "the fever" spreads and overtakes Merrick. It's airborne, I guess. It never gets explained why what's typically supposed to only happen to a vamp once happens to her and Merrick twice. 

Speaking of Merrick, he starts off as the mean vamp. The bad one. I like those. I mean, if you're going to be a bastard commit to it and give it 100% effort. He did until "the fever" struck and then he turned into emo vamp and even tried to commit suicide! WUT?




The story of how Cora ends up in their care is the standard 'I had to otherwise you'd DIE'. Not original but a classic nonetheless. I'm not put out by that; however, I am put off by the writing style. I'm not sure if it was an effort to establish Cora's persona or if Stein's style has evolved over time, but there was too much redundancy. Words are repeated two, three, four times. The same sentiment is expressed twice with slight modifications back to back. Over and over and over again. Probably a third of the story could've been excised and would've been better off for it, in my opinion.

The sex is so-so but by the time it happened I was mailing it in, so I'm probably not the best judge.

I can't recommend this but I can say opinions are varied and I would recommend reading other reviews before deciding.


A copy was provided by Netgalley.

Find out more on Goodreads.

Review: Limitless (The Underground Club #2) by S.J.D. Peterson

Even within the context of the Underground BDSM Club, Joshua’s desires are dark and extreme. Hopelessly addicted to pain and the high it gives him, he has no limits. Joshua would quite literally rather die than use a safeword, and he accepts that might be his fate. As much as he depends on others, he has yet to find a man who can gain his trust, and he has little hope that he ever will.

For Nash, acquiring Joshua from another Dom at the club is only the first step in what will be a long and arduous road to lure the young man back from the brink of self-destruction. He must do the impossible and win Joshua’s trust, and he must be the one to set limits in their exploration—something he’s unaccustomed to as a Dom. But Nash knows dominance doesn’t always mean pushing a submissive’s boundaries. It’s about establishing a bond and fulfilling another man’s needs. In Joshua’s case, he’ll have to strike a balance between meeting the young man’s expectations and drawing firm lines that will save Joshua from himself.


This ended up being very different to how I thought it would be. I was expecting an angsty healing story and it ended up being a big cuddle fest.




Not that that’s a bad thing, but I was constantly in anticipation for the inevitable shoe to be dropped and it never happened. I think this is largely to do with Nash being the prominent POV. He's so positive in his belief of Joshua and that made us, the readers, feel positive as well. The few times we were in Josh's head we saw his conflict about his self worth and trust in Nash, I would've liked to have had more of his POV to understand him better.


Joshua had a rough childhood and then was a full-time submissive to an abusive master. One of the biggest disappointments of this book was, we never found out what really went on between Josh and his Master. There are snippets divulged, but I never really understood what happened to make Joshua so desperate to escape his reality. And to escape his reality, Joshua uses pain… alot of it! That's where Nash comes in. He’s instantly drawn to Josh and when he hears that Josh has never safe-worded and doesn’t have any limits, he takes it upon himself to help Josh.


Nash was most definitely my favourite part of this book. He’s strong and supportive, he takes things at Josh’s pace yet doesn’t let him get complacent. It was really interesting seeing Nash’s read on Josh as they explored some basic scenes together. I liked how during their scenes Nash was vigilant of any indication that Josh may have actually reached a limit, even if he didn’t express it verbally.


The sex and BDSM scenes weren’t bad but they were fairly basic, a flogger here, a paddle there, maybe I’ve just read too many BDSM books, but I was expecting something more hardcore.


I also thought this ended way to abruptly, we were finally delving into Josh’s issues and how they were going to be worked through and then it ended. I needed much more of a conclusion for these two.


I would recommend this if you liked Override, it's a good sweet story with lots of comfort and little bit of hurt and absolutely no conflict. It really wasn't what I was hoping for though and therefore was a little bit of a disappointment.


Find on Dreamspinner Press or Goodreads!

Blog Tour + Giveaway: He's Behind You (Treading The Boards #3) by Rebecca Cohen


Celebrate with Rebecca Cohen and Signal Boost Promotions on the He's Behind You (Treading the Boards, #3) Recap tour and enter the giveaway for a chance to win a $10 Amazon or ARe gift card!

He's Behind You (Treading The Boards #3) 

 Rebecca Cohen

Blurb

A trip down to Cornwall is just what Ryan Penniford needs to recover from the daily grind of London life. Ryan and his amateur dramatics society, the Sarky Players, are traveling to Porthcurno to perform at the stunning Minack Theatre.

Stuart Box has returned to Cornwall after earning his PhD, and is killing time as he looks for a job back in London. Spending time with Ryan from the Sarky Players is a great way to take his mind off things.

During their first meeting, sparks fly, but not in a good way, and they must work to get past their initial hostilities to discover they have great off-stage chemistry. Stuart soon learns Ryan is not the superficial man people assume he is, and Stuart likes what he sees. The feeling is entirely mutual.

Pity Ryan is only visiting for two weeks, but both men want to see where this holiday romance might take them.


Length: 43,212

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Dreamspinner | AllRomance | B&N | KOBO 

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Series 

Overly Dramatic (Treading The Boards #1)
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Dreamspinner | AllRomance | B&N | KOBO 

Summer Season (Treading The Boards #2) 

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Dreamspinner | AllRomance | B&N | KOBO  

Received an Honorable Mention in the 2016 Rainbow Awards.  




Author Bio

REBECCA COHEN is a Brit abroad. Having swapped the Thames for the Rhine, she has left London behind and now lives with her husband and young son in Basel, Switzerland. She can often be found with a pen in one hand and a cup of Darjeeling in the other.

Contacts:
Blog: http://rebeccacohenwrites.wordpress.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/rebecca.cohen.710
Twitter: http://twitter.com/R_Cohen_writes




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Audiobook Review: Let the Wrong Light In by Avon Gale

Avery Hextall, a junior architect at a prestigious firm, is thrilled when his design is chosen for a new performing-arts center—even if it means working closely with his insufferably uptight project manager, Malin Lacroix. When a chance encounter in the boss’s office proves that Lacroix is anything but cold, Avery is determined to learn more about the real man beneath the aloof veneer.

Despite their growing attraction and their increasingly kinky encounters, the enigmatic Malin remains as emotionally distant as ever. Worse, Avery’s friends are convinced Malin thinks of Avery as a dirty secret and nothing more—a secret that might destroy both of their careers.

But the real secret is a single moment in time that haunts Malin and keeps him from committing to the life he wants with Avery. In order to move on, Avery must help Malin come to terms with the tragedy in his past before they can work on building a future together.

Listening Length: 8 hours and 32 minutes
Narrator: Derrick McClain


This was my second time ‘reading’ this story, first time listening to it. I gave this story 5 stars when I read it the first time and I stick by that rating for the most part, the narration gets 4 hearts from me.


I won't go into detail with the storyline but basically, Avery works for Malin in an architecture firm and one day by pure happenstance, they get their kink on. Malin is a cold, hard character to get to know and like, but his story will bring you to tears when you eventually get to hear it. Avery is one of those overly exaggerated funny characters, loud and outgoing with no filter, so if you don’t like those, you may not like this. This story is more about the instability of Malin and Avery’s relationship and how that evolves into something real. The sex is super hot, especially if you like pain sluts and rough play.


I’ve listened to Derrick McClain before, not that long ago when I reviewed the audiobook for How to Be a Normal Person. I adored the narration in that book and McClain received 5 hearts from me. However having heard him so recently narrate a character as iconic at Gus from HTBANP diminished the experience of this book for me. All I could hear when I listened to Avery was Gus.


McClain has quite a distinct way of speaking and it's obviously hard to change that completely. There was nothing I could fault with McClain’s narration. He still accentuated everything beautifully, he made the funny moments funny, the hot moments hot and the emotional moments heart clenching. It was just unlucky that I heard his narration elsewhere so recently, it made it impossible to really hear Avery within the story.


The narration was well done, but when I read this again, which I inevitably will, it'll be reading not listening. Definitely recommend this though!


Find on Dreamspinner Press or Goodreads!

See our ebook review here!

Review: Tru Smoke (Ember Peak #1) by Edie Danford

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire… Whenever Jones touches him, flames flicker in Truitt Larkin's smoky-gray eyes.

Growing up in Ember Peak, Colorado, Jones Hudson nurtured dreams as big as the Rockies. Why else would a flat-broke college student believe he has a shot with Truitt Larkin, the billionaire CEO of Larkin Corp? And, sure, Tru might own the fab, five-thousand-acre Ember Peak Ranch, where Jones is just the son of a ranch employee, but that doesn’t mean a future with Tru is doomed, does it? When he finally, finally convinces Tru to break his chiseled-in-rock no-sex-ever policy, Jones is sure smoke will never shroud Tru’s silver-flame eyes again.

But fire burns and dreams crash. And Jones leaves Ember Peak—and a big chunk of his heart—behind.

Tru knows he’s responsible for fracturing his valued friendship with Jones. Indulging his attraction to the younger man was selfish and destructive—something he’ll always regret. When Jones returns to Ember Peak for a family wedding, Tru wants a chance to heal their friendship and give back to Jones the comfort of coming home. But sparks fly the moment they reunite, and they scramble to douse the passion that’s burned them both before. Yet a flicker of hope glows brightly, and soon they need all their courage to see their way to a future together.


This book was so good. Like stupidly good in a way that I don’t quite know how to put into words for a review. You know those books that grab you from the first chapter, pull you in close and whisper, “You with me kid?” and all you can do if offer your capitulation? Yeah, this was one of those books.

Now, I am a self-proclaimed angst whore and this book was my trick over and over again. Good lord was it ever and I think I need a fix now that I am done.

Told in the dual POV of Jones Hudson and Truitt Larkin, we meet the men as they are deep into one another after Jones surprised Tru by knocking on his hotel door the day after his 21st birthday. The week following is gorgeous, it’s fuckhot and it broke my damn heart. It was stunning to get so much emotion from just one chapter, to already get a feel for who Tru and Jones are to one another and who they think they are deep down inside but it hurt, y’all. It hurt and it was the best kind of hurt a hopeless romantic hoarder of romance novels can ask for.

Jones has had a crush on all things Tru forever. Tru was the first person to ground Jones when he arrived at Ember Peak Ranch with his mother at the tender age of four. It was then that Tru became family and the feelings that Jones had begun to change over time. I love, LOVE stories where the MC’s have known each other for years, even as young as Jones was when he met Tru but in this story, Tru wasn’t a child, in fact, Tru is 15 years older than Jones and of course that means Tru thinks he knows what is best. Tsk Tsk Tsk…

So back to that first chapter. Chemistry and emotions are aplenty through it and then it ends. My heart breaks and I turn the page… Three. Years. Later. Fuck. Without even reading another word I know that it’s been three years since these two have seen one another and my stomach dropped. I had to keep reading, I needed Truitt to see his ginger haired boy and do whatever he had to do to make amends but I also wanted to see Jones stand up for himself for whatever they would be together. I didn’t have to wait long as the men are reunited back at the ranch for Jones’ mom’s wedding.

To say the angst ever let up in this book would be a lie. It wasn’t terrible but it was this low hum of being on the edge with no real survival skills in sight. I loved it so much. I loved how the men reunite and the steps they take to make a summer on the ranch as lovers work. I ADORE that the author gave us both POV’s because I had to know what was in Tru’s head and heart as we walked this path. How he sees Jones as a grown man and when he uses that damn swoonworthy endearment. Sigh I am a sucker for endearments but when they have actual meaning behind them and not just “baby” or “honey” you have me in a big pile of goo and goo is always good.

But this story, it’s all about need. It’s the need of Jones to have the one man he’s been in love with his whole life and it’s Jones needing Tru to NEED him. Not just want him around or in his bed but to need Jones in his life.

Truitt is a fascinating and complicating man. He has this history with his father that is no pleasant and while he is rich AF, he isn’t crass about it and takes the responsibility of the Larkin Corp, the ranch and all that work for him seriously. He’s a good man who always wants to do what’s right for people even if that means sacrificing his own happiness. But Jones won’t let him be unhappy and seeing their relationship change and grow over the summer was beautiful.

The author doesn’t play on the stereotype with the age gap either and makes Jones a smart and capable man. He may be younger than Tru but that doesn’t mean he is a doormat. He’s learned from his mistakes and is making plans to get his man. Good lord. This book was really something else and I just loved it.

I like that three spoken words would mean everything to both men but it wasn’t the total goal. The life of them together, learning how to be together in this new way and not fucking it up was what they were both working toward even though it took Tru a bit longer to really catch on but catch on he did. I loved the end and had a feeling of where it would be going after Tru had the run in with the Jones doppelganger. He realized then what was important talking to Cody and Zeke and the way this book ended had me sliding off my chair in one major swoon.

I think I’ll shut up now and I’m just going to think of sun porches, trail rides, what happens on overnights, movie marathons under tables, revelations in walk in closets (ha!) meal in cabins, the love of three damn dogs and horses and all the swoony emotions that come with Truitt and Jones. Yeah, this was a good one and I have so many notes and highlights from it that I was going to use but instead, I’m going to tuck those away for my own keeping so I can swoon over them a few or more times.

OH! I love that this isn’t the end of Tru and Jones either and that we get them in book two…. I need that book, like now. *grabby hands* Gimme!





Find on Goodreads!

Blog Tour + Giveaway: Hanging the Stars (Half Moon Bay, #2) by Rhys Ford

Welcome to Rhys Ford's Hanging the Stars Blog Tour! See our review here!

Check out Rhys's mini story, catch up with the main players from this series and enter in the $25 gift certificate GIVEAWAY attached!

Take it away, Rhys...

Thank you for following the Hanging The Stars blog tour! I was very excited to return to Half Moon Bay and well, deliver West Harris his comeuppance. For this tour, I wanted to share a bit about the relationships the characters have with one another and just a bit of every day stuff as they prepare for their Christmas holiday.

As I am sure many of you are preparing for your holidays.

I’m going to keep this short and sweet because well… there’s a bit of story beneath this. But I do hope you stop by Half Moon Bay and catch up with West as a bit of his past returns in the form of Angel Daniels…the one man who broke his heart and took the pieces with him.

And be sure to enter this blog’s Hanging The Stars giveaway! The winner gets a $25 dollar gift certificate to the online vendor of their choice! 



Half Moon Holiday 2
“Babe, I love you,” Deacon grunted. “But this thing is really heavy.”

“You’re good. Let me just tighten the screws in.” Lang twisted the knobs of the ornate metal tree stand, edging the massive stops into the bark of their spruce. “Then we can make sure it’s straight too.”

The stand was huge, a complicated thing of screws and flat spacers he’d stared at for a good five minutes before Deacon came by and sorted it out in thirty seconds. He worried it wouldn’t be strong enough to hold up the enormous spruce but to be fair, he worried about a lot of things. This was their first Christmas as a family, a single working unit of temperaments and personalities…and something Lang never imagined he’d have in his lifetime.

He was also trying to not get distracted by Deacon’s bare feet and ankles not more than a few feet away, poking out from under the spruce’s netted branches. It was stupid to be turned on by toes but there he was, staring at his husband’s feet of all things when he should have been working to steady the tree.

“Any time you’re ready to finish that up, sweetheart. The tree and I will be right here waiting.” Deacon’s light teasing held a golden warmth. There was never any edge to his words, nothing to cut into Lang to make him bleed.

“Sorry, got distracted,” Lang confessed, turning one of the opposite screws he’d been working on to keep the tension even.

“That’s okay. I’m really good. I kind of like this whole watching you work on something while you’re hunched over.” Deacon’s voice went husky, slick with promises and heat. “I like how your ass looks in those sweats.”

A sear crept through Lang’s cheeks, flushing him red and he flicked at Deacon’s toes with his fingers. “Stop that.”

“What? Zig’s over at Angel’s making cookies and…” Deacon paused when the sound of two young bickering voices bleed through from outside. “Never mind. The monsters have descended.”

The front door slammed open and a tangle of noise and trouble stampeded in.

Zig’s smile held little of the brittle hardness it had when Lang first met her in his bookstore. Instead, she beamed, confident and secure enough to launch herself at Deacon at a full run. There wasn’t any question he’d catch her. He was the kind of man who anyone could fling themselves at in the hopes of being saved and Deacon would without hesitating, embrace them in midflight.

Unfortunately, grabbing Zig meant letting go of the tree.

The tree lurched forward and Lang made a desperate grab for it, snagging his fingers in its netted covering. With three of the four screws in, the spruce bobbled and danced in its stand, threatening to topple over. Yelping in alarm, Lang called out and a pair of hands grappled the tree from him.

“I’ve got it,” Angel reassured him, his forearms barely straining with the effort of keeping the tree upright. “Guess you weren’t done?”

“Not quite.” Lang peered around the tree at Deacon and a mortified Zig. “Are we done killing me?”

“Sorry,” Zig muttered as Deacon put her down. “Just got excited. Roman and I get to be angels in the school play together. Angel said he’ll make us wings.”

“Appropriate I suppose. To get your wings from an older angel,” Lang drawled.

“Here, let me get that, Ange.” Deacon moved in to hold the tree but Angel shook his head.

“Nah, I’ve got it but there’s stuff in the car if you want to bring it in. Some muffins and cookies the kids made. Can’t tell you they’re edible. Put icing on like they were spackling adobe onto a house.” Angel was tall, a dirty blonde with sharp grey eyes Lang swore saw everything around him and probably one of the most together people he’d ever known. He was also a link to Lang’s grandmother and a veteran of the Christmas tree battles, giving Deacon a wicked grin. “It’s kind of nice to be the one holding the tree up. Normally it was me fighting with the damned stands.”

“Go on. It’s like old times. Except I’m the one down here,” Lang waved his husband off. “Make sure they don’t eat themselves sick. You can stay for dinner if you want, Ange. You and Roman.”

“I don’t know if I should,” Angel murmured softly. “Especially since your brother’s trying to shut me and my bakery down.”
_____________

Hanging the Stars (Half Moon Bay #2) by Rhys Ford
Angel Daniels grew up hard, one step ahead of the law and always looking over his shoulder. A grifter’s son, he’d learned every con and trick in the book but ached for a normal life. Once out on his own, Angel returns to Half Moon Bay where he once found…and then lost…love.

Now, Angel’s life is a frantic mess of schedules and chaos. Between running his bakery and raising his troubled eleven-year-old half-brother, Roman, Angel has a hectic but happy life. Then West Harris returns to Half Moon Bay and threatens to break Angel all over again by taking away the only home he and Rome ever had.

When they were young, Angel taught West how to love and laugh but when Angel moved on, West locked his heart up and threw away the key. Older and hardened, West returns to Half Moon and finds himself face-to-face with the man he’d lost. Now, West is torn between killing Angel or holding him tight.

But rekindling their passionate relationship is jeopardized as someone wants one or both of them dead, and as the terrifying danger mounts, neither man knows if the menace will bring them together or forever tear them apart.

Purchase Hanging the Stars (Half Moon Bay #2) at: Dreamspinner, Amazon, and ARe .

Hanging the Stars Blog Tour Stops
Nov 30: It’s About the Book (http://itsaboutthebook.com/)
Dec 1: Boy Meets Boy (www.boymeetsboyreviews.com)
Dec 2: Love Bytes (http://lovebytesreviews.com/)
Dec 3: Prism Alliance (http://www.prismbookalliance.com/)
Dec 4: Sinfully Gay Romance (http://sinfullymmbookreviews.blogspot.com/)
Dec 5: The Novel Approach (http://thenovelapproachreviews.com/)
Dec 7: Joyfully Jay (http://joyfullyjay.com/)

About Rhys Ford
Rhys Ford is an award-winning author with several long-running LGBT+ mystery, thriller, paranormal, and urban fantasy series and was a 2016 LAMBDA finalist with her novel, Murder and Mayhem. She is published by Dreamspinner Press and DSP Publications.

She’s also quite skeptical about bios without a dash of something personal and really, who doesn’t mention their cats, dog and cars in a bio? She shares the house with Yoshi, a grumpy tuxedo cat and Tam, a diabetic black pygmy panther, as well as a ginger cairn terrorist named Gus. Rhys is also enslaved to the upkeep a 1979 Pontiac Firebird and enjoys murdering make-believe people

Rhys’ Blog: www.rhysford.com
Rhys Ford’s books can found at Dreamspinner Press (http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com), DSP Publications (https://www.dsppublications.com/) and all major online book stores.



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