Contest at Long and Short Reviews!

I almost forgot to mention this...and it ends TOMORROW!


Please visit the LASR 10th Anniversary Party!

This link will take you to one of my authors' page, but there are tons of great blurbs and excerpts to read, and even better TWO great GC to vie for! For those who are like me and don't use FB, there are plenty of other options on the 2nd Rafflecopter.

Enjoy!

Flickers of Fortune by S.R. Cronin (Spotlight, excerpt, review, and GIVEAWAY) GFT

Flickers of Fortune


by 

S.R. Cronin

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GENRE: Sci Fi Fantasy

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BLURB:


Seeing the future is a nuisance. Ariel does her best to shut it out, until she stumbles on a group of clairvoyants using their talents to get extremely rich. They have her attention. Then she meets a second bunch obsessed with surviving an upcoming near extinction event.

Both factions seem dangerous and, to be honest, a little crazy. They don’t get along. As they learn more about her, however, each group decides Ariel’s particular abilities are hard to find and exactly what they need.

There is no possible way to help them both. Aligning with either may be a bad idea, but staying out of this mess is no longer an option.




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EXCERPT

“I’d really like to think about it.” She said it as calmly as she could while she crinkled the papers between her thumb and index finger, trying to learn more.

“We’d like to get the paperwork started before the end of the week,” the man from HR said. “Tomorrow is Friday.”

“Right. Let me take this information home and I’ll give you my answer in the morning.”

As she stepped outside for air, she had a pretty good idea of what her answer would be. The nice man from HR hadn’t noticed her placing her hand against the wall after handling his manila folder, and he had no way of knowing it was to steady herself against a kaleidoscope of new visions rushing at her while a tiny percent probability turned into an almost certainty.

“Holy crap.”

Ariel muttered it as she made her way out of the building, her eyes half closed as she tried to calm her mind.

“Holy crap.”

She sat down on the cold concrete steps to steady herself.

“Holy crap.” She couldn’t quit saying it. 

What Clyde didn’t know, couldn’t know, would never know, was that in making his proposal he probably affected the fate of the world. Many weeks from now, Ariel was likely to discover she had a chance to play a role in the survival of the human race. She couldn’t see how, she couldn’t see when, and as the flashes of little specks of her most distant visions whirled their way through her brain, all she got with any clarity was that her going to Ireland mattered. A lot.

Yes, she ought to accept the transfer.

Amazon

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:


Sherrie Roth grew up in Western Kansas thinking there was no place in the universe more fascinating than outer space. After her mother vetoed astronaut as a career ambition, she went on to study journalism and physics in hopes of becoming a science writer.


She published her first science fiction short story and then waited a lot of tables while she looked for inspiration for the next tale. When it finally came, it declared to her it had to be a whole book, nothing less. One night, while digesting this disturbing piece of news, she drank way too many shots of ouzo with her boyfriend. She woke up thirty-one years later demanding to know what was going on.


The boyfriend, who she had apparently long since married, asked her to calm down. He explained that, in a fit of practicality, she had gone back to school and gotten a degree in geophysics and had spent the last 28 years interpreting seismic data in the oil industry. The good news, according to Mr. Cronin, was she found it at least mildly entertaining and ridiculously well-paying. The bad news was the two of them had still managed to spend almost all of the money.


Apparently she was now Mrs. Cronin, and the further good news was they had produced three wonderful children whom they loved dearly, even though to be honest that is where a lot of the money had gone. Even better news was that Mr. Cronin turned out to be a warm-hearted, encouraging sort who was happy to see her awake and ready to write. "It's about time," were his exact words.


Sherrie Cronin discovered that over the ensuing decades Sally Ride had already managed to become the first woman in space and done a fine job of it. No one, however, had written the book that had been in Sherrie's head for decades. The only problem was the book informed her it had grown into a six book collection. Sherrie decided she better start writing before it got any longer. She's been wide awake ever since, and writing away.






Author Social Media Links


Twitter

Facebook

Goodreads

Amazon author page





Blogs:


46 Ascending

Face Painting for World Peace

Fire Dancing for Fun and Profit

Treasure Hunting for a Good Time
 
Leaving the Nest to Touch the Sky

Touching the Sky to Save the World



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GIVEAWAY



a Rafflecopter giveaway







The tour dates can be found here










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My review:

3.75 out of 5 stars

Flicker of Fortune by S.R. Cronin is a science fiction/fantasy story that is part of the ’46. Ascending’ series. This particular volume centers on Ariel Zeitman, who possesses the power to see the future but has not really explored her ability or consulted with others about it until a job interview changes her destiny. As she discovers that there are different permutations of clairvoyance, each decision becomes more pivotal, and her interactions with others who possess this ability draw her deeper into a dangerous web. Not only is the distant future of humanity at stake, but Ariel’s immediate future gets more and more precarious. It’s time for the Zeitman family to have a frank talk.

The fascinating aspect of this series is that each book can indeed stand alone but definitely is enhanced by the reader being aware of the storyline of those that came before. I inadvertently started reading the sequel to this book and therefore got a slightly different perspective (mom’s) to some of the events that take place without too much of a spoiler but it was no problem to stop that one and read this one. They flow together seamlessly.

 I love that various aspects of mental abilities are showcased even as current events and the possibilities inherent in the manipulation of things are explored. This author is adept at playing the “what if” game and provides thought-provoking stories that also entertain.

I had trouble connecting with Ariel. She doesn’t seem to have had the strong ties to her family that her siblings have and her decisions are sometimes a little off to me. Those who have triggers should be warned that there are a couple of coercive scenes that were uncomfortable for me—although they could have been far worse—and I was disturbed that there were no immediate repercussions for the perpetrator.  There are also multiple characters and interconnections that get a little disconcerting as their points of view are intermittently included but it all eventually comes together.

One of the things that amused me the most is that this book is primarily located in the far north (and beyond) and had very chilly settings whereas the following book involves activity at the opposite pole, with the attendant heat and humidity. I look forward to reading more adventures involving this very unique family and others with abilities that truly reflect the maxim that great power comes with great responsibility. This is not my favorite book of the series, but it does make one think about cause and effect with global implications as well as offers a glimpse of what the mind could be capable of.

A copy of this title was provided to me for review

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Benevolent by Erin A. Jensen (VNBtM, guest post, excerpt, and GIVEAWAY) GFT

I am happy to share a guest post from author Erin A. Jensen, who tells us...

What Attracts Readers to Fantasy?

 by

Erin A. Jensen

My reading tastes are pretty eclectic these days. I’ll happily dive into the pages of any story that catches my interest, but my favorite genre to read has always been fantasy. It’s also my writing genre of choice. I meet plenty of readers who tell me they don’t like fantasy but they love my stories. My guess is they’ve never given the genre a chance because the word fantasy automatically makes them think Lord of The Rings. I personally love Tolkien, but wizards, hobbits and magic rings aren’t for everyone. Fortunately, there’s a lot more to the fantasy genre than just epic fantasy. The genre I write in is contemporary fantasy, which means the story takes place in our modern world but there are “other worldly” elements to the tale.

So, what is it that attracts readers to fantasy? I think it’s the fact that fantasy provides an escape from reality. That doesn’t necessarily have to mean there is something wrong with your real life. Let’s face it — changing diapers, cleaning house, sitting in a cubicle, or taking out the trash isn’t terribly thrilling. When you get a chance to sit down and relax at the end of a long day, slipping into a world where magic exists, dragons roam the earth, or angels visit your dreams each night is a welcome break from everyday life. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to spend my downtime reading about ordinary people doing the everyday things that fill up my days in the real world. A comfortable happy real life existence is great, but it doesn’t make your heart race with fear or excitement or move you to tears. As a fantasy author, I haven’t done my job unless I’ve made you feel something deeply. If you ask me, the best cure for frustration with project deadlines or toddler tantrums is a brief vacation to an alternate world where magic and dragons and fairies are real!

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Benevolent

by 

Erin A. Jensen

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GENRE: Fantasy

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BLURB:

A story about the purpose of life, the healing power of fandom, and the resilience of the human spirit.

Tormented by the in-crowd at school on a daily basis, there were two things that gave fifteen-year-old Abigail Perkins the strength to keep going—her best friend, Danny Cobb; and her favorite television show, Supernatural. But the night Danny’s mother calls to say that his battle with cancer is nearing its end, and the doctors don’t expect him to live through the night, even Supernatural can’t dull the ache in her heart.

Devastated by her impending loss and crushed that Danny’s mother won’t allow her to visit him one last time, Abigail crawls into bed and cries herself to sleep that night; and she wakes to find Supernatural’s most endearing angel standing at the foot of her bed.

Told from Abigail’s perspective as she nears the end of her long life and revisits the moments that defined it, this story was inspired by the deep connection that Supernatural fans feel with the show’s beloved characters, and the show’s miraculous ability to help its fans through troubled times.

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EXCERPT

I shuffled across the room with a heavy heart, crawled into bed and cried myself to sleep, aching in the knowledge that I’d most likely wake in a world that my friend no longer inhabited.

That was the first night that he ever came to me in a dream.

“Would you like to say your goodbyes now, Abigail?” a male voice inquired from the foot of my bed.

A deep male voice—rousing me from sleep in the middle of the night—probably should’ve terrified me, but it didn’t because this man’s voice was a familiar comfort.

I sat up and rubbed the sleep from my eyes, which was pointless since I was obviously still dreaming. There at the foot of my bed, stood my favorite television angel, dressed in a button-down shirt, crooked necktie, and that iconic trench coat of his. He was beautiful, flawless bone structure, stylishly mussed-up hair, and piercing blue eyes that looked far too wise to belong to this man at the peak of physical perfection.

I blinked my eyes a few times to reboot my senses, but he still stood there waiting for an answer. “Castiel?” I muttered in a groggy whisper, “Am I dreaming?”

He smiled at me with more compassion than I’d ever witnessed in any human set of eyes. “Yes. You are, but that doesn’t make this any less real.”

“I’ve lost my mind,” I muttered as my eyes filled with tears. “My best friend is dying and I’m sitting on my bed, talking to a fictional angel.”

His brilliant blue eyes brimmed with sorrow as he shook his head. “You are talking to a real angel. I chose this form because the fictional angel is a comfort to you.”

I blinked my eyes a few more times, expecting him to be gone each time my eyelids lifted. “What?”

His apologetic frown did nothing to detract from his beauty. “There isn’t much time to explain, Abigail. Danny is not long for this world, and I know how much he means to you. His mother is wrong to deny you the opportunity to say goodbye.”

“How would we get there?” I muttered, ignoring the way my heart ached at the angel’s words. If I focused on that pain, I would fall apart, this dream would morph into something nightmarish, and I’d lose this imaginary chance to see my friend one last time. “I’m pretty sure I’m not allowed to leave the house with strange men who slip into my bedroom in the middle of the night.”

“I’m not a man,” he whispered as he touched a hand to my foot.

The instant he touched me, my room melted away and I found myself sitting on Danny’s hospital bed. 

My eyes filled with tears at the sight of all the tubes and wires connected to my friend’s brittle body. I looked up and felt comforted by the angel’s presence.

“He can hear you,” the angel standing beside the bed whispered.

“Danny,” I croaked as I slid closer to him, “it’s me, Abigail.”

Buy Links

Amazon

Barnes& Noble

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Erin Jensen is the Amazon International bestselling author of The Dream Waters Series. She was awarded the Bronze Medal for fantasy fiction in the 2018 Readers' Favorite international book awards. She also received Honorable Mention for fantasy fiction in the 2018 Writer's Digest self-published e-book awards. A part-time pharmacist and a full-time daydreamer, she resides in upstate New York with her ridiculously supportive husband, two teenage sons--who are both taller than her--and a Yorkshire terrier who thinks he's the family bodyguard.

Website

Blog

Twitter

Facebook

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GIVEAWAY






a Rafflecopter giveaway



The tour dates can be found here

Julian Fox: The Dream Guardian by E.J. Miranda (VBT, excerpt, and GIVEAWAY) GFT

Julian Fox, The Dream Guardian

by

E.J. Miranda

It is said that dreams are just that: only dreams. But believe me, this is not always true. Some dreams are as real as the dreamer.

Thanks to their dreams, dreamers can receive the special visit of eternal wisdom that has inspired the creativity of great inventors, scientists, musicians, and even writers throughout the ages.

This creative wisdom is not always the type that appears to the eager conscience. Sometimes, a Defiler, a destroyer of dreams, is the one who tries to appear before the dreamer. These creatures were once humans, but they allowed their pain and desire for revenge to take over and seek the same miserable fate for the one who dreams.

You must not fear — Dream Guardians, also known as Kelsdrant, will always protect the one who dreams, even with their own life. They are people of flesh and bone, just like you and me, or at least they are on Earth.

The following story is dedicated to the fun, extravagant, and enlightening life of Julian Fox, the Dream Guardian.

Be prepared, dear reader. It is time to dream, laugh, reflect, and even maybe cry.

Welcome to the Land of the Wise Dreams.

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Excerpt

from Chapter 1: The Fox Family

There is no perfect family. This is a universal truth, but if the imagination of a pair of mischievous minds is added to reality, the result can be an explosive combination that shuts the door to normalcy.

Sonia and William’s marriage is an example of how patience can be extended to the absolute limits. After all, parental love can only tolerate so much nonsense from the ingenuity of their children, especially when they happen to be Julian and Nicholas Fox.

This outlandish story begins at the crazy end of a pleasant vacation. The two brothers, Julian and Nicholas, were enjoying the afternoon heat near the banks of the river that crossed their ranch. They lay in the shade of an enormous tree, listening to the torrent of water as if it were a magical lullaby.

Julian, the eldest, was twenty-one years old. He had just completed his university studies and the memories of experiences with his classmates were still fresh in his mind. Nicholas, the youngest and last of the two children, was twenty years old and he was still studying in college.

They stayed silent for several minutes with their eyes closed, hoping that a miracle would occur and the family vacation would continue for a while longer. But, resigned to returning home in just two days, they decided to make the most of nature’s sweetness.



Buy links:

Barnes and Noble
Amazon

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About the Author: 

E. J. Miranda is an avid reader, an enthusiastic traveler, and a passionate author. Her great sense of humor and love for nature have granted her a rebellious writing style: Her approach describes the adventures of life but in such a way that each reader can have an individual take on the matter. 

Her inspiration comes from her curiosity about other countries’ cultures and peculiarities. A few countries in particular that spark her curiosity are Colombia, Italy, Costa Rica, England, Belgium, Mexico, Spain, and the United States. 

Her favorite places to visit are historical sites and museums, locations that allow her to explore important and even overlooked details. 

She currently lives with her husband in Colombia but frequently travels to Houston to visit her daughter and son. 

E.J. Miranda has a degree in tax accounting, but she prefers interacting with people to calculating their taxes. 


To learn more about her life and work, visit her website.
Goodreads
Twitter
Facebook




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GIVEAWAY

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

E.J. Miranda will be awarding a 1st prize: $50 Amazon e-gift card, and a 2nd prize: $40 Amazon e-gift card, to two randomly drawn winners via rafflecopter during the tour.


a Rafflecopter giveaway



The tour dates can be found here

Fear Justice by C.C. Bolick (VBT, guest post, excerpt, and GIVEAWAY) GFT

I am happy to share words of wisdom from author C.C. Bolick (especially since chocolate is one of my go-to solutions when I am stressed, lol)

How to Handle Negative Criticism

by

C.C. Bolick

1)     Take a trip to Antarctica so that only the penguins can hear you scream in utter disdain.

2)     Eat chocolate (my personal favorite).

3)     As gracefully as possible.

No one wants negative criticism. Why do you think there’s so much to go around? Everyone willing to put their work on display should be prepared and accept their fair share. It’s part of being a writer. It’s part of being human. “Ask and you shall receive,” my grandmother always said.

Books are subjective. People are subjective. Put the two together and there’s no telling what will happen next.

Remember:

1)     You haven’t found true success until you’ve ruffled a feather or two.

2)     You’re in good company.

3)     There’s a lot to learn from hearing why someone isn’t gushing over your work.

If an author says they never read reviews, my question is… why not? A review means someone read my work and took the time to give their opinion. A bad review means they didn’t like it for some reason. Could be as simple as they thought the end should have been different. Or maybe it’s a series and there’s more reading required to find the end. Can’t say I’ve never been guilty of that. Could be this wasn’t their kind of story, or they didn’t connect with the characters.

Don’t forget the part where someone actually read my story. I’m always thrilled when anyone not only takes the time to read my books, but also leaves a review. Even the bad reviews, as hard as they are to swallow.

Keep in mind, if not for negative criticism, as a writer you’d always wonder if people really like your work. Do they connect? Would they recommend your stories to a friend? I’ve always believed if it wasn’t for the bad times, the good times wouldn’t look so good.

Yes, fret a bit like the rest of us. Have a drink if necessary, but keep writing. Use any juicy tidbits people offer to help improve your story, as long as the suggestions make sense. If the review feels like a personal attack and not about your writing, there’s not much you can do except go on with life and try to offer hope to the next author.

I waited tables for several years in college. Early on, I learned some customers couldn’t be satisfied if my life depended on it. I once dropped an entire plate of blueberry pancakes in a woman’s lap and still received a nice tip after helping her clean up. Embarrassing yes, but probably more for me than her. Some people are at their best in a raw situation, and I’ve never forgotten her kind words.

Whatever happens, don’t forget why you started writing.

And never, never, never tell someone their opinion is wrong. 

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Fear Justice

by C.C. Bolick

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GENRE: YA Urban Fantasy

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BLURB:

Seventeen-year-old Rena Mason counts the days until she can leave for college. Every night her father drinks himself to sleep, leaving her to care for her younger brother. When her father is kidnapped by terrorists, her dreams of freedom become a nightmare.

Stunned that her father has a history with these terrorists, Rena knows she must run or be their next victim. She learns the tough guy at school has a reason to look after her - he's working for a government agency with the same goal as the terrorists: find a woman who disappeared eighteen years ago. Time is running out since only this woman's special gift can save the world from a looming nuclear attack.

Rena can't trust anyone, especially not the stone-cold agent she's falling for. Can they save the world before Rena's feelings trap her in an agent's fight for justice?

Fear Justice contains elements of fantasy, sci-fi, and paranormal, with a clean romance. It's the first book in an exciting new series called The Fear Chronicles.

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EXCERPT

Tony cleared his throat. “You said your dad was kidnapped?”

“Last night. Coach and my dad were friends. They joined the Army together.” Why was I babbling? Tony didn’t need to know my life story. “I showed up this morning because I thought he might know why these people were after my dad.”

“Did either of them tell you?”

I shook my head and looked at Tony. “The man who beat up Coach Andrews—he said he’d give me a head start before hunting me down.”

Again, Tony glanced in the mirror. “He didn’t happen to say he drives a black Lincoln, did he?”

As I spun in the seat and leaned over the headrest to see, the belt cut into my neck. Behind us, a black car crept closer with every second. Someone in the passenger seat leaned out of the window with a gun. “There’s a man with a gun following us and I’m not freaking out. At least, I don’t think I am.”

“No, you’re cool.”

With a bitter laugh, I turned back around and dropped down on the red vinyl seat. “Cool? When are you going to ask why I’m not afraid?”

Tony hit the brakes and made a turn that left me choking from the belt’s grip. “Right after you ask why I picked you up.”

Buy link:

 The Book is on sale for $0.99 during the tour.

 (please check price before buying)

Amazon link

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

C.C. Bolick grew up in south Alabama, where she’s happy to still reside. She’s an engineer by day and a writer by night—too bad she could never do one without the other.

Camping, fishing… she loves the outdoors and the warm Alabama weather. For years she thought up stories to write and finally started putting them on paper back in 2006. If you hear her talking with no one to answer, don’t think she’s crazy. Since talking through her stories works best, a library is her worst place to write… even though it’s her favorite!

C.C. loves to mix sci-fi and paranormal—throw in a little romance and adventure and you’ve got her kind of story. She’s written nine books including the LeftoverGirl series, The Agency series, and The Fear Chronicles.

Author Links:

Website

Facebook

Goodreads

Instagram

Twitter

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GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway




The tour dates can be found here

Fighting Chances (Charity Anthology w/multiple authors) ADULT titles

I'm a little late posting this, but a lovely anthology of gay male romance stories was put together to benefit the children of Alcoy, Philippines. Find out more information here.

Fighting Chances: MM Enemies to Lovers Anthology

(authors' names below)

ADULT titles

An opportunity to put his hands around his enemy's... neck.

What can a man do when the spark of hate ignites the fire of passion? Can desire bridge the gap between two men on opposite sides of a fence? A kitchen aisle? What about a war?

Can love heal years of resentment and little hurts? Can it make a man recognize the humanity in another? And is the line between hate and love really all that thin?

In these 10 stories by well-loved M/M authors united by a common cause, you can find men in conflict with each other and with themselves... ready to give love a fighting chance.

 

All profits to be donated PROJECT CHILDREN ALCOY, a small volunteer-run project which provides healthy meals and school supplies to kindergarteners and children in Alcoy, Philippines.

·       Don’t Mean a Thing – Riley Ashby

·       Going Down – Corie Rosling

·       Nerve – Emily Alter

·       Frustration and Fireworks – J.D. Light

·       Saving the Dragon – Alicia Graybill

·       Hooked by the Bell – Tanya Chris

·       The Wedding Party – E.M. Leya

·       Turning Over a New Leaf – Kat Cassidy

·       Six Months – BL Maxwell

·       The Dawn Singer – K.K. Pieza

Excerpt:



“Turning Over a New Leaf” - An enemies to lovers romance featuring a die-hard environmentalist and a wood-cutter.



“Really committed to those single word responses, huh?” Miles snipped, irrationally annoyed. It was honestly hard to believe that this was the same guy from yesterday afternoon. “You know, even most apes are smart enough to form rudimentary sign language sentences in a lab setting.”

Logan flashed him a hand gesture that wasn’t exactly sign language, but was pretty hard to misinterpret. 

Miles was mesmerized by the display of Logan’s sure, corded muscles working beneath the tight thermal shirt, and the way the moonlight glinted off the waves of his hair, shiny and coppery as a new penny. And the sounds he made—those booming grunts of exertion were primal and carnal and deeply unfair.

Amazon link

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My review:

4 out of 5 stars




Fighting Chances is an entertaining combination of "enemies to lovers" adult gay romance stories that showcase the writing talents of ten talented authors. The fact that the proceeds are being donated to a worthy cause is just icing on the cake.

I particularly enjoyed the hijinks in Tanya Chris' "Hooked by the Bell," as two men continue the bitter feud between their families over a strip of land that separates their respective properties...until they rediscover there are more important things to have in common. A particularly hilarious (to me) scene takes place in their childhood treehouse that is NOT soundproof, lol. 

Kat Cassidy's "Turning Over a New Leaf" gives a new perspective on the fight between fellers (who cut down trees) and environmentalists who go to extremes to protect nature and I felt a connection to both main characters immediately and will definitely be looking for other works by this author as well.

Corie Rosling's "Going Down" taught me that omegas can be pretty feisty, lol, and I enjoyed the lesson on what can be done with shrink wrap.

BL Maxwell's "Six Months" made me hungry, although I wanted to smack one of the main characters (always good when they resonate enough with you to make you annoyed, I guess, lol). A slow burn romance.


Some of the stories in the anthology are not for the faint of heart, so make sure to read the warnings that accompany descriptions. I read an ARC, so I am hopeful that the story that had quite a few errors has been revised. Overall, the book was engaging, (mostly) easy to read, and covers a wide spectrum of gay romance.



 A copy of this story was provided for review