Blog Tour: Review & Giveaway: Swimming Against the Tide by Ryan Taylor & Joshua Harwood

SWIMMING AGAINST THE TIDE by Ryan Taylor & Joshua Harwood

Synopsis

Zach

I wanted what I thought was the ideal college experience—an excellent school and a great fraternity. Since I was a legacy, it was Zeta from the get-go. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it. In fact, I had so much fun I didn’t pay enough attention to one very important thing—the culture. The very conservative, closed-minded culture. The culture that welcomed no one who wasn’t a carbon copy of everyone else. The culture where a gay man has only one option: live in the closet and survive on occasional anonymous hookups.

I made it work until I saw a gorgeous guy jump into the bushes one night after a party. I went after him, and my life was never the same.

Connor

After my best friend ditched me at a frat party, I had nothing to do but drink away the time and wait for my own Prince Frat Bro to rescue me. Yeah, right. I was pretty sure I was the only gay guy there, and I finally gave up and left. Then, the night took an interesting turn on my walk home.

I guess you can’t find love when you beat around the bushes.

Swimming Against the Tide is a romance between two very different young men: a closeted frat bro sophomore and an out-and-proud freshman. Neither can resist the connection made at the most awkward, incredibly sweet, and impossible-to-forget meet-cute ever. How can they get what they want without being swept away by the tide?

This gay college romance features themes of Greek life, a secret relationship, undeniable chemistry, and steamy moments full of delightfully dirty talk. There are also tough decisions, coming out, and a HEA that will pull at your heartstrings every time you read it.

Genre: M/M College Romance Novella
Trope: Friends with benefits, secret relationship, HEA

Cover Design: Kate Farlow @ Y’all That Graphic

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Review

This novella tells a sweet, low angst story between Connor and Zach, but also tells Zach’s emotional struggle with being true to himself or staying in the homophobic frat house he joined and having to hide for the rest of his time at college.

I really liked both MCs a great deal and I enjoyed their instant connection and hoped that Zach would be strong enough to leave the frat house and pursue a relationship out in the open with Connor. I thought Connor was understanding about Zach’s situation, but he knew he didn’t want to be in a long-term relationship that would involve him not being able to be with his boyfriend in public.

Most of the guys in the frat came across as ass****s and I struggle to understand the mentality behind their behaviours. I was glad that Zach found his inner strength to be true to himself before it became an even more toxic environment for him to live in.

Giveaway

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About the Authors

Ryan Taylor met his husband and co-author, Joshua Harwood, in law school. They live in a suburb of Washington, DC, and share their home with a big, cuddly German shepherd. Ryan and Josh love to travel. In addition, Ryan also enjoys swimming, and Josh likes to putter in the garden whenever he can. They began writing to celebrate the romance they were so lucky to find with each other, and the sharing soon developed into a passion for telling stories about love between out and proud men.

Connect with Ryan and Joshua

Website / Shop Merch

Facebook Group / Facebook Page

Instagram / Twitter / TikTok

Ryan Taylor’s Amazon Profile / Joshua Harwood’s Amazon Profile

Ryan Taylor’s BookBub Profile / Joshua Harwood’s BookBub Profile

Ryan Taylor’s Goodreads Profile / Joshua Harwood’s Goodreads Profile

Release Tour, Review, Excerpts & Giveaway: Teacher of the Year By M.A. Wardell

Love: Not as easy as ABC.

They were supposed to keep things casual. Who’d expect they’d be schooled in love?

Those who can, teach. Marvin Block is one of the best kindergarten teachers out there. And despite his anxiety, Marvin’s life is sweet. He knows what he wants. And what he wants is the Teacher of the Year Award. Not just for himself – his school needs him to win.

Returning from break, the New Year finds Marvin all set to welcome a new pupil to his class. But when Illona walks in with her cute-as-hell single dad beside her, Marvin’s focus starts to slide.

Sure, his students always come first, but he deserves to have a life outside the classroom, too, right?

As their friendship starts to deepen, Marvin realizes Olan has the potential to teach him things about love he never thought possible. But with the Teacher of the Year award and his school’s future on the line, now’s not the time for anything complicated.

Education has always been Marvin’s world. And he needs to keep a cool head if he wants to win the award and save his school. But will it be worth it if he loses Olan in the process?

With Olan’s past and Marvin’s present colliding, their experiment in love hangs in the balance. Marvin knows what he wants out of life. But now he’s forced to consider what he wants out of love.

Will Marvin chalk the relationship up to experience? Or can they revise their story into a textbook romance?

Teacher of the Year is a steamy open door friends-to-lovers gay romance novel that explores the balance between friends, family, career, and relationships while overcoming trauma and dealing with anxiety.

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Review

I enjoyed Teacher of the Year, Marvin was cute, though plagued with anxiety and trauma from his mother’s alcoholism when he was younger, this causes problems later on with Olan, some of which I thought were a bit of an overreaction and I was glad when his best friend Jill serves him a few hard truths and tells him to get his head out of his backside.

Because this was a single-point-of-view read, we only get to know Olan through Marvin, I would have liked to have read the story from both POVs, as I feel I get a better all-rounded story, but what we did get about Olan was still enough to make it enjoyable.

Olan has had his own battles and a recent divorce has ended with him moving to the small town where Marvin becomes his daughter Illona ends up in Marvin’s kindergarten class. I liked the text messaging which was Olan’s way of flirting, but felt he jumped from flirting to I really like you super quickly seeing as I didn’t feel they’d had much interaction, but I rolled with it anyway. I liked that once Olan decided he was interested in Marvin, despite it being his first male love interest, he is all in and there wasn’t any angst about it. Illona was a cute kid and added a good dynamic to the story, both in the classroom and for Olan as a single father.

Jill and her husband Nick, as secondary characters were fun, I enjoyed the banter between Marvin and Nick and Jill was a great friend.

Work/life balance was an important theme throughout, determining if and why someone might work too much is an individual thing but I liked that Olan realised how much teaching meant to Marvin, but was going to be there to make sure he got the balance he needed after he himself had burnt out by not maintaining that balance.

Overall, this was a fun and cute read and I look forward to reading more by this author in the future.

Exclusive Excerpt from Teacher of the Year

“Princess, did you have a good day?” The moment Olan sees his daughter, a shift takes place. He lifts her up and gathers her in his arms, and she wraps her legs around his waist, causing his burgundy fleece to ride up just enough to show a sliver of skin. Damn. There I go wanting to lick him again.

“I had so much fun! We went to Art, and I made a sculpture with clay, and we played games inside for recess because it was too cold, and I played Candy Land, and I won, and I made a new friend, and she held my hand and read me a story, and I have the book in my backpack, and everyone was so nice, especially Mr. Block.”

“Wow, sounds like you had a busy day.”

“She’s probably going to be exhausted tonight. I know I will be.” I chuckle at my own joke. Olan glances my way and gives a little grin. That punim. And that smile. Can I bottle it up and keep it for times I’m anxious or sad or just need a pick-me-up?

“Illona, can you share the book with your dad tonight?”

“She nods quickly.

“I’ll see you in the morning.” I throw her a wave.

“Hey, thank you. For everything.” Olan puts his hand out for a shake.

And there it is. Another chance for skin-to-skin contact. Clumsily, I wipe my hand on my pants and reach out. Our hands touch, and he wraps his long, strong fingers around my palm and squeezes just hard enough to show me he’s a master at the art of the handshake.

“I truly appreciate it.”

His eyes home in on mine, and I feel a warmth coming from his hand and entire body. He holds on a second or two longer than I expect, and my insides take a little tumble. I’m keenly aware of the gaggle of moms watching us, and I pull my hand away a little more abruptly than I want to.

“Okay, I will see you tomorrow, Illona,” I interrupt, hoping he’ll be back again too. “There’s some paperwork in her blue folder for you.” I glance up at him quickly, stealing one more look.

Excerpt

Rushing in, I pee quickly and proceed to wash up. I position my hands under the automatic faucet. Nothing. Out and back under. Still nothing. While the tree-hugger in me understands these sinks are meant to conserve water, their inability to function in a timely and reasonable manner often leaves me wanting to scream with frustration. As I’m fighting with the damn sink, about to actually yell, a blur zooms toward the urinal.

Hurrying to finish, I throw my hands under the faucet one last time, and it erupts to life. A stream of water sprays my arms and gushes all over the front of my gray joggers. And now I appear to have thoroughly pissed myself. Lovely.

Glancing over at the urinal, I see that the man peeing clearly isn’t a white, short, rotund redhead. Jerry wouldn’t be at school this early anyway. From the back, I can see he’s almost as tall as me, with rich brown skin and hair springing from his head in tight coils. The urge to escape embarrassment washes over me, but I also need the bathroom’s air dryer to attempt to rectify the large splash on the front of my pants.

“It’s water from the sink. Be careful. They’re automatic. And relentless. And well…” I move my hands away, revealing the source of my mortification.

Without a word, he slowly places his hands under the sink, and the faucet magically comes to life with no histrionics or fanfare. He looks at me, gives the faintest grin, and washes his hands.

I turn to the air dryer and do my best to position myself under it, thrusting my hips forward to get the airflow right. I’m now gyrating in the bathroom in front of a handsome stranger like a complete putz. The man finishes and, as I’m bogarting the dryer, wipes his hands on his pants and gives me a nod and exits. Standing there, hot air blowing my nether regions, I wonder, who was that gorgeous man, and why am I so damn flushed?”

Enter the Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Teacher of the Year, M.A. is giving away 3 e-copies of the release.

Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance to win!

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About the Author

I write steamy queer rom-coms.

My goal is to tell adult gay love stories with a diverse representation of flawed and damaged characters who find healing through love.

I love rom-coms and have always wished there was better representation, so I’m writing the stories I wish existed. The gay men in my stories are flawed and messy. Helping them find their HEA is my passion.

Connect with M.A.

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New Release Book Review: Cosmic Spells and Vampire Lairs by Mia Monroe

I am thoroughly enjoying the Coven of Eaton Falls series and Cosmic Spells and Vampire Lairs pairs up another witch and vampire as well as answering some questions and raising more about the war being waged by the ‘Beautiful One’ against the magical community of Eaton Falls.

The witch Callisto has the gift of divination and has been paired up with the vampire Pietro who has a dark past. Both are drawn to each other but Callisto doesn’t believe Pietro is his fated mate and Pietro wishes he was. I really liked Callisto and Pietro who seem to complement each other well, as Callisto says “You’re the earth to my sky. You’ll keep us grounded while I make sure we never lose the joy of wonder.” So romantic. I liked how these two communicated and how open Callisto was to accepting ‘the change’ when it came to following his heart and his future. The relationship between Callisto and Pietro was really sweet and I could feel how much they cared about each other.

There are a few more discoveries and a trip to New Orleans to try and find their friend Prince who didn’t fare too well in the previous book when he encountered the ‘Beautiful One’ and to hopefully find out some more information from the other coven’s there. But more information also leads to more questions and more potential danger.

I am really enjoying uncovering the mystery behind the ‘Beautiful One’ alongside getting to know the other witches and vampires of Eaton Falls. I am looking forward to uncovering more in A Traitor Shows His Hand which is due out in March, I’m also hoping this will be Willem’s turn to find his love or loves.

Links to my reviews for the series

Never Trust a Guy with Fangs (Book 1)

The Witch’s Power Play (Book 2)

Vampires Make Bad Roommates (Book 3)

New Release Book Review: A Family’s Trust by Louise Guy

Domestic Noir/thriller/drama isn’t a genre I read a lot of, years ago I did, but these days I limit my reading to just a few select authors. Louise Guy’s newest novel had me completely hooked whilst also being scared to read on because I was so anxious about what was going on for the characters and what would happen next.

Louise Guy has written characters who seemed so real to me that I was drawn into their dramas, their relationships and their emotions as if I actually knew these people, especially Jess and Reeve. It took me a bit longer to relate to Reeve than Jess, but once caught I was horrified at what she was going through with her possible early onset dementia and the repercussions of things she had no knowledge of doing or saying. Jess’s past trauma within the foster system was terrible and it doesn’t help to know that these sorts of things still occur, I liked that Jess as an adult was working in the foster system in order to try to make things better for those going through now. As things in Jess’s past come to light both good and bad secrets are uncovered.

Not only are Jess and Reeve going through their personal dramas but added to that is the passing of Martin and what this means to both women and the consequences of his life and his death.

As the story progressed I began to have a few theories about what was going on and my anxiety ramped up, I wondered if things were going to turn out well or not. While one of my theories was correct, there were many twists in the story that had me thinking ‘oh my god’ quite a few times.

This was a well-written novel with its secrets woven carefully together to create an engaging read that I recommend to anyone who enjoys this genre.

About the book

Family are the ones you can trust…aren’t they?

Reeve Elliot and Jessica Williams are polar opposites. In contrast to Reeve’s privileged upbringing, Jess suffered intense emotional trauma in the foster care system—trauma she’s tried to bury yet has recently come back to haunt her.

As Jess does her best to deal with her past, tragedy shakes the foundations of Reeve’s present. But heartbreak and grief come with a silver lining—the unexpected knowledge she has a half-sister, Jess.

Discovering their biological link, Reeve pushes to form a bond with her sister, a bond tested by Reeve’s unpredictable behaviour and fears she is following in her mother’s footsteps of early-onset-dementia.

But family is everything, and the sisters are committed to supporting each other. However, that’s easier said than done when a large inheritance is at stake, and the lines between greed and family and right and wrong begin to blur.

Someone is lying. Someone is manipulating the truth. But is it one of the sisters? And are they even sisters at all?

New Release Book Review: Outback Skies by Suzanne Cass

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this series, though, with the amount of crime and danger the people of Stormcloud Station deal with, I’m kind of glad I don’t work there. In this 6th and final novel in the series, more danger is afoot for one of Stormcloud’s own, Indy and undercover police officer Finn.

Finn and Indy have a connection from their first meeting, though where Finn is completely taken with Indy, Indy herself is a bit on and off about her feelings for Finn to start with. She also makes some decisions due to her being pretty headstrong that place her in unnecessary danger.

Once again Suzanne Cass has created some complex characters with issues they need to deal with and pasts that could come back to bite them. It’s a fast-paced read with plenty of suspense, action and romance. We meet some newcomers on the muster as well as the found family members of Stormcloud who get drawn into the drama of murder and drug running. Who among them can be trusted is the big question that puts some level of fear into them all. The answers show just how far some people will go for money, power or revenge.

I’m sad to say goodbye to the people of Stormcloud, but I enjoyed the epilogue which set the scene for a positive future for all.

New Release Book Review: It’s Not Unusual to be Loved by an Alien by Chloe Archer

This book was so good and so original, I was lucky enough to get an early copy and then I reread it on kindle unlimited and enjoyed it just as much the second time around. For a novel that is just over 100,000 words, I flew through it in two sittings without once realising it was such a long novel. It flowed really well and I was fully engaged from the start to its HFN cliffhanger-like ending.

This book had so much humour I was constantly grinning at something our main characters were doing or saying, especially River, well mostly River in fact. He was absolutely adorable, a self-proclaimed sci-fi geek who strongly believes aliens are real and gets far more than he bargains for when he and his uncle Benji follow their neighbour who they believe is an alien.

I loved Kai, the very straight-laced alien in charge of keeping aliens on earth safe, and when River shows up at their top secret base his life is thrown into turmoil, but the best kind.

I adored River and his rambling, his humour and his pop culture references. I loved the way he set his sights on Kai and didn’t let Kai’s taciturn behaviour put him off one little bit. Kai has had a bad past experience with dating a human, so initially fights his attraction to River, somethings just can’t be fought though. These two were made for each other. Their relationship though fast timewise is also slow burn and I enjoyed every bit of it.

I thought the cast of side characters was also really great, Uncle Benji and River’s BFF Evan and Kai’s parents Maddox and Ellie and his brother Mal all just made for a wonderful treat. Along with all the crew from the ANAL team.

I also enjoyed the snippets of River’s tentacle porn story he writes and would love at some stage to read the whole thing.

I can’t wait for book 2, I just wish it were December already.

More about #TentacularTales Book 1

A sexy alien living incognito on Earth meets a sci-fi-loving nerd who wants to rock his universe. What could possibly go wrong? Besides the unexpected tentacles and the accidental Mating Courtship Ritual, that is…

It’s Not Unusual to be Loved by an Alien (Tentacular Tales #1) is a (102,000 words) M/M sci-fi rom-com featuring an adorkable twink with unexpected secrets and a slight obsession with extraterrestrials, the reluctant alien he wants to make his boo, tentacles with a mind of their own, zany extraterrestrial shenanigans in Sin City, and enough humour to fill an entire spaceship. This is the first book in the series. There is no cheating, and this book ends with an HFN. Never fear, the series guarantees readers a HEA by the end!

Buy Link 📖 getbook.at/TentacularTales1

Enter the #Giveaway for your chance to win a $5 Amazon Gift Card & an e-copy of It’s Not Unusual To Be Loved by an Alien. Two winners will be chosen!

Enter here: https://bit.ly/TT1_Giveaway

And follow @chloearcher_author on Instagram for extra entries!

New Release Book Review: Wildfire by Garrett Leigh

Review

I was excited to hear there was going to be a new series set in the Vino and Veritas world and I loved being back there in the first book Wildfire (In Vino Veritas #1).

Oh boy, Kai and Joss, what can I say, they are both damaged and slightly broken, or that is how they see themselves, both for different reasons. Kai is struggling with PTSD after being involved with a terrible accident he could do nothing to stop, and Joss has ADHD and non-verbal Tourettes, which he has learned to live with, but wishes he liked these parts of himself better.

Joss can’t settle anywhere, he’s searching for something but has no idea what, when he turns up at Vino and Veritas to start up the kitchen for his friend, he plans on being there a few months, long enough to set things up then he can take off again for new places.

Kai is working at Vino and Veritas, hiding from life after his experience, afraid to be around people and afraid to move on from where his life has taken a detour.

These two men, wow, Garrett Leigh has done a great job of portraying their issues and really making me care about both of them. I loved Joss’s quirkiness and could understand a lot of his issues with ADD having it myself. I thought the connection they had was beautiful, the way they just got each other and accepted each other’s quirks and tried to make things easier for each other without even thinking about it; when you find someone like this it’s a once-in-a-lifetime connection. They both have a lot to work through, as individuals and as a couple, but it is so worth it.

I didn’t want to put this book down, reading through until I couldn’t keep my eyes open because I was so invested in these two men.

I loved catching up with the characters I came to know in the original series, it was like catching up with old friends and seeing how they were getting on.

I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series as they become available.

About the Book

A gorgeous new sexual awakening romance with sizzling first times, snarky British banter, and off-the-charts chemistry.

Life doesn’t always pan out as you expect. When it explodes in my face, literally, an old friend offers me a place to heal and a job renovating the kitchen of Burlington’s coolest wine bar.

V&V is a chill fest. Living above it should be a blast. But I’m not built to be a social butterfly. Not anymore. I’m a damaged man.

And I’m not its target clientele.

At least, I think I’m not until I come face to face with the most beautiful human I’ve ever seen. Joss is the new chef and my roommate. He has hair like spun gold and it’s as pretty as the rest of him. Crystal blue eyes. Megawatt smile.

I can’t stop staring. Or thinking about him. He chases my nightmares away. And when he spots my crush a mile off, his solution to our chemical attraction blows my mind.

An experiment of sorts. Science. Is this sexual exploration or sex education?

Either way, Joss is only here for the summer. He’s leaving.

I can’t fall in love with him.

I can’t.

Shame my foolish heart never got the memo.

WILDFIRE is a heartfelt MM friends-to-lovers, hurt/comfort romance in the True North world, with a brooding lumbersexual, a wild-hearted chef, sweet angst and all the Vermont food. Content warning: contains mentions of depression, ADHD, suicidal ideation, and PTSD recovery.

Buy Links: Amazon / Audio
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Cover Design: Christine Coffey

New Release Book Review: The Return (#5 Return to Nam) by Carole Brungar

The Return to Nam series has been one of the best series I’ve read. I couldn’t believe it when I looked it up that it had been 4 years since I read The Nam Legacy, I can still feel the impact of that first novel, still, remember the characters who became so real to me I felt like I actually knew them. I can still remember how realistic the scenes in Vietnam were, the trials Jack & Terry and their mates went through to fight for a cause they didn’t really understand.

And now 4 years later we get Jackie’s story, Jack’s daughter from his time in Vietnam, and the final book in this highly recommended series, a fitting and emotional end to all that has come to pass.

Carole Brungar has managed to do it again, to create another highly emotional journey that takes Jackie (and us the reader) on a journey of self-discovery as she fulfils a promise to Terry (one of my favourite characters from this series), the only father she’s ever known. Set nearly 33 years after she was rescued from a Vietnamese orphanage and taken to New Zealand, Jackie reluctantly makes plans to return to Vietnam for the first time and to try to track down the family and the history that she left behind.

Jackie’s relationship with her adoptive father Terry and her stepmother Frankie, whose love story we got to experience in The Nam Shadow was so wonderfully powerful, the love between them was so strong. Jackie was so lucky to have had Terry in her life, and she knew how lucky she was both to have had him as her father and to have been rescued from what her life could have been as an orphan during wartime, and Terry felt the same, their father/daughter relationship was something to be jealous of, from the moment of her rescue, both of their lives were changed for the better.

Jackie was a highly-strung, but very likeable character, her past trauma has formed who she has become and she holds herself to high expectations and doesn’t really do social engagements or relationships. When she bumps into Jeff, an old friend from her student days, things Jackie thought she was happy with in her life are about to be questioned. I loved Jeff, oh to meet a guy who feels about me the way Jeff feels about Jackie (swoon). They are both married to their jobs, but I held out hope throughout that they would work things out, especially knowing how long Jeff had been in love with Jackie.

Jackie’s return to Vietnam was extremely hard for her, she was lucky she had Frankie to go with her and support her through her journey. I enjoyed rediscovering the places I first experienced with Frankie in The Nam Shadow when she was a war photographer, it was a little like I was taking a walk down memory lane with her as she showed Jackie the places that meant something to her and Terry and remembered the people and experiences she’d lived through. Jackie was averse to meeting her mother’s relatives, finding out she had half-sisters and aunts and cousins didn’t mean anything to her when she set out on her journey. It’s amazing what actually meeting people and discovering another culture can do to change our entire perspective on our life, as Jackie discovers on her journey.

Jackie’s trip to Vietnam heralds many changes and she makes some major decisions that will affect both her future and her future with Jeff. For someone who assesses every tiny thing in her life before she makes a decision, meeting up with Jeff again and returning to Vietnam, changes Jackie in big ways.

This was a wonderful ending to this series, I wish it could keep going, I have loved the way Carole Brungar has managed to weave the many characters from the different novels so as they are so intertwined and turn up unexpectedly in each book. I highly recommend this novel and the preceding novels in this series and though you can read it as a standalone, you will get the full feeling for this series if you read it from the beginning.

Oh, and you will need tissues just like you will in each novel.

Read my thoughts on the other books in the series

New Release Book Review: Fire in the Ice by Ryan Taylor & Joshua Harwood

This was a sweet, low angst read that I really enjoyed. I haven’t read the first in this series but will be going back to remedy that to see how Nick and Jacob get together.

In Fire in the Ice we get Kevin and Tyler’s story, they knew each other in school and stayed in touch for years, Kev always had a huge crush on Tyler, but Tyler thought he was too you, and he was in love with NIck anyway. (Tyler and Nick’s story is in a novella which I haven’t read either).

When this story starts Tyler has been traded to the Bethesda Barracudas, Kevin and Nick’s team and while Nick is happy to be able to play with Tyler again, Kev is not. Their friendship was seen by both very differently and Tyler’s decision to not keep up the communication between them has led to Kev feeling pretty hurt.

After the initial passive/aggressive behaviour from Kevin, the two eventually sit down and communicate and from then on love is on the cards. I loved that they communicated how they felt, that they weren’t afraid to show each other how they felt and that because of their past history they were comfortable with each other and pet names came easily (I can’t say I really liked the whole giving their dicks a name, but each to their own).

The sad part about their blossoming relationship was that they had to keep it a secret from their friends and teammates. The NHL and its fans have become more tolerant of LGBT+ players, but it seems two players on the same team being in a relationship might be too much. There was plenty of secrecy, drama and worry about being found out and then when they are found out, everything comes to a head.

I liked that the majority of their team and the hierarchy were supportive of their relationship, some of the behaviours, well, one in particular shocked me, but mostly everyone was great. I’m not sure how true to life this is in the hockey (or sports) world, but I like that in fiction it can play out the way I wish it would in the real world.

I enjoyed the guys’ parents hitting it off the way they did, there were some amusing scenes with Tyler’s dad and Kev’s mum. I also loved how supportive they all were of each other, just how a family should be.

I’m looking forward to reading Ice Angles because one of my favourite characters was Cleevs and he gets his story in this one.

This is also available as an audiobook read by Nick J Russo

To read an excerpt click here.

Blog Tour – Review & Excerpt: Sapphire Sunset by C. Travis Rice

Will saving Sapphire Cove help forge the union they crave, or will it drive them
apart once more?

Sapphire Sunset, an all new emotional and captivating MM romance from
New York Times bestselling author Christopher Rice writing as C. Travis
Rice, is available now!

For the first time, New York Times bestselling author Christopher Rice writes as C.
Travis Rice. Under his new pen name, Rice offers tales of passion, intrigue, and steamy
romance between men. The first novel, SAPPHIRE SUNSET, transports you to a
beautiful luxury resort on the sparkling Southern California coast where strong-willed
heroes release the shame that blocks their heart’s desires.

Logan Murdoch is a fighter, a survivor, and a provider. When he leaves a distinguished
career in the Marine Corps to work security at a luxury beachfront resort, he’s got one
objective: pay his father’s mounting medical bills. That means Connor Harcourt, the
irresistibly handsome scion of the wealthy family that owns Sapphire Cove, is strictly off
limits, despite his sassy swagger and beautiful blue eyes. Logan’s life is all about
sacrifices; Connor is privilege personified. But temptation is a beast that demands to be
fed, and a furtive kiss ignites instant passion, forcing Logan to slam the brakes. Hard.

Haunted by their frustrated attraction, the two men find themselves hurled back together
when a headline-making scandal threatens to ruin the resort they both love. This time,
there’s no easy escape from the magnetic pull of their white hot desire. Will saving
Sapphire Cove help forge the union they crave, or will it drive them apart once more?

Fall in love with Logan and Connor today!
Amazon
Amazon Worldwide
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My Review

What a great introduction to both this author and this series. I adored both of the MCs, Connor and Logan.

When these two meet the attraction is instant, when Logan shuts down anything happening with Connor I was holding back tears for them both, but I could really feel Connor’s hurt and my heart hurt for him, he’d put himself out there and got kicked to the kerb.

When it comes time for them to meet again 5 years down the track, I was reading with my fingers crossed the whole time. Two people from such different backgrounds, but who after 5 years had not let go of the connection they shared for that one night, and who were still instantly aware of each other, I could only hope that as things spiralled back and forward and as the dramas around Sapphire Cove unfolded and played out, that Connor and Logan could manage to create something wonderful between them. While both Logan and Connor came from different backgrounds, both carried their own baggage given to them by their families, in learning to love each other, they both needed to look at their pasts and put down the baggage and see it for what it is.

While the romance and chemistry between Connor and Logan were wonderful, the villains in the story were anything but. Connor’s uncle, Rodney, who from the get-go was an awful person and a wronged widow looking for someone to blame, these characters showed how easy it is to destroy people’s lives and businesses through blackmail and the power of social media.

There was plenty going on throughout this novel and there wasn’t a moment where I felt I was bored at all, I couldn’t stop reading, needing to know what was going to happen next and whether they were going to be able to pull both the hotel and their relationship out of the fire.

I am really looking forward to the next book in the Sapphire Cove series.

Excerpt

“Wow.” Logan’s voice echoed through the rocky chamber.
Here, the sounds of the ocean surf softened into something that was more like a
gurgling brook. What whitecaps the cave’s mouth captured were filtered down into
something frothy and inviting amidst the labyrinth of low rocks within. The basic security
lights at foot level threw a soft golden light across the metal struts that secured the rock
ceiling overhead.
“I used to come here all the time as a kid with my friends,” Connor said nervously.
“There’re all kinds of caverns back here we used to play and hide in before my mom
found out and busted us. She still has no idea they don’t go that deep. She still thinks
you could get lost in here. But I’ve got an excellent sense of direction.”
“Do you?”
“Yeah, I usually know where things are headed.”
“Makes sense, I guess. Your life’s kinda laid out for you, right? You’ll probably run this
place someday, right? Heir apparent and all that.”
“Oh, God. Do they still call me the prince?” Connor turned, resting his butt against the
guardrail so he could focus on Logan.
“Kinda.”
“Is that a good thing? Should I be annoyed by that?”
“Better to be the prince than a peasant, I guess,” Logan said.
“Are those really the only two choices?”
Logan laughed, but there was relief in it. As if Connor’s snarky response had shined a
light on possibilities he hadn’t seen before now. “I guess not.”
“Whatever. I’ll let it go.”
Silence then, save for the gurgling of the sea pushing its way past them and deeper into
the cave.
Connor rested his elbows on the rail on either side of him, an attempt to look casual
even though the sight of Logan leaning against the cave wall, hands in his pockets,
studying Connor with a half smile made Connor feel welded in place. “All right, your
turn.”
“My turn for what?” Logan asked.
“I told you mine, and my grandpa’s. What’s your magic moment?”
“Okay.” Logan straightened. “So if I remember correctly, it’s like a moment when you’re
doing something you love and you feel the most satisfied by it. Is that right?”
“Exactly.” Connor was thrilled that Logan had listened so closely.
“Well, my life is kind of starting over, so I’m kind of figuring out what it is I love to do.
Kickboxing’s up there, but that’s more of a fast and furious kind of thing, and the high is
mostly when I’m done. Not sure there’s really a magic hour there. There was some stuff
about the Marines that I loved, especially once I was a staff sergeant and I was in the
zone for gunnery sergeant. But a lot of it was tough, and a lot to hold.”
“I’m sure.”
When Logan started toward him through the shadows, Connor’s breath caught. His feet
felt planted to the boards, and the sides of his face got tingly and hot.
“So if I had to pick,” Logan said, “I’d pick this one.”
“Walking rounds?”
“No. I’d pick the moment when I’m finally all alone with a guy who drives me wild, and I
know we’re about to kiss, but I’m not sure when. So there’s this tension in the air, and I
can feel it. Everywhere.”
They were inches apart now, so close Connor had to look up at him to maintain eye
contact.
“And we’re both circling, waiting for the right moment. And I’m trying to take it kinda slow
because I know one little touch”—Logan gently grazed Connor’s cheek with the side of
one finger—“and it might turn into a lot more than a kiss. But first, there’s a promise to
be kept.”
“What promise is that?” Connor asked in a squeaky whisper.
“I believe you promised me a dance.”
“Or you promised me one.”
“Either way, seems like time.”

About C. Travis Rice
C. Travis Rice is the pseudonym New York Times bestselling novelist Christopher Rice devotes to steamy tales of romance between men. Christopher has published multiple bestselling books in multiple genres and been the recipient of a Lambda Literary Award.
With his mother, Anne Rice, he is an executive producer on the AMC Studios adaptations of her novels The Vampire Chronicles and The Lives of the Mayfair Witches. Together with his best friend and producing partner, New York Times bestselling novelist, Eric Shaw Quinn, he runs the production company Dinner Partners.
Among other projects, they produce the podcast and video network, TDPS, which you
can find at http://www.TheDinnerPartyShow.com.

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