Review: Point of Contact by Melanie Hansen

Point of Contact by Melanie Hansen
Carina Press, Goodreads, Amazon
Novel: 451pgs

4.5 Pants Off

Blurb:  Only love can heal an impossibly broken heart

There’d forever been a thread running through Trevor Estes’s life—his son, Riley, strong and constant like a heartbeat. But when Riley is killed in combat, everything in Trevor’s life unravels into a mess he doesn’t know how to mourn.

Then Jesse Byrne, Riley’s friend and platoon mate, arrives on Trevor’s doorstep with a box of Riley’s things. Jesse’s all-too-familiar grief provides an unlikely source of comfort for Trevor: knowing he’s not alone is exactly what he needs.

Trevor never imagined he’d find someone who fills his heart with hope again. As the pair celebrate Riley’s memory, their unique bond deepens into something irreplaceable—and something neither man can live without.

But diving into a relationship can’t be so simple. Being together means Trevor risking the last link he has to his son…leaving Jesse to wonder if he’ll ever be enough, or if Trevor will always be haunted by the past.

 Review

Note to Self: The next time you see your GR friends saying how a book made them bawl and breakdown please effing take it at face value and realize that they were actually bawling their eyes out and not playing around.  

This book broke my heart, broke it again, and then broke it one more time while putting it a tiny bit together. Melanie Hansen didn’t come to play with us when it comes to Point of Contact, she really didn’t come to play. 

Trevor Estes is scared, he’s very scared. He’s dealing with the fear of a parent whose only child is in the army and he’s about to do his first deployment. His fear is bone deep and he wants to stop Riley from leaving but when your children grow up they make their own decisions, and sometimes you can’t protect them. So, Trevor will support his baby and send him of with a smile and wave but with a prayer in his heart for his boy to comeback to him, for his boy to comeback to him safe. 

A going away party for Riley and his young friends is the last thing Trevor can give these boys because they are going to fight a war that will make them men far sooner than need be. A hostile run in with Jesse one of Riley’s friends almost brings the party mood to a standstill but there is far bigger things to worry about. Trevor will have to say goodbye to his little boy, the baby he had way too young and a time when it was them against the world. 

The story then gives you glimpses of father and son time apart. Riley’s time in the army and also counting down to D-day (death day). The fact that its coming is there from the beginning. It the author does a thing where you get to know Riley, you get to see him as a son and as a friend and he’s not just the man you’ll know will die. This is also his story and when the moment happens you realize you were never prepared and it will wreck you. I can’t remember the last time I cried for a book like this (well not since Protection by S.A Reid).  

We then move into the after where his dad Trevor and his best-friend Jesse have to learn to live without him. Trevor’s grief is crippling and every word of every chapter made me super weepy. As a mother (or as someone who just loves a person) I can only imagine and also as a mother your mind goes to places that is sobering and running amuck with fear. It was sometimes too much. 

The love story is a slow progress and it never implies that it’s a way to heal. Yes, two men suffering from grief come together to get through it but feelings went and snuck in. They celebrate the life of a loved one and embraces a love so fresh and new. 

Trevor through out the entire book made me sad his love for his son was very real, their connection was beautiful and I just enjoyed reading about their relationship. Jesse, while his first impression was a bad one, you get to know him and eventually fall in love with the man he is and the man that war has shaped. While falling in love with your deceased friends father might not be what he had expected but it was everything he needed. Together they walk the steps to healing and yet Riley remains an intricate part of their relationship.

Seriously, this book had me wrecked and at the time I was upset with myself for reading it because it made me so sad but I’m happy I did read it because it was a beautiful well written story. Point of Contact has filled my quota for emotional reads for the rest of the year, I can’t be out here in the streets with red eyes and runny nose.  

I am irrecoverably wrecked and I will be thinking about this one for a long time. 

Review: No Such Thing by AM Arthur

No Such Thing by A.M Arthur
Carina Press
Novel: 221pgs
4 Pants Off

Blurb:
Twenty-two-year-old Alessandro Silva knows that returning to tiny Perch Creek to help his foster mother was the right thing to do. With no degree and a delinquent's reputation, he's lucky to have landed a job waiting tables. But not everyone is happy he's back, and the only thing keeping his move home from being a total bust is his boss's hot brother.

Jaime Winters spent most of his life watching the world go by, first from a series of hospitals and then from behind big stacks of textbooks. Studying is easier than facing the fact that years of heart failure means he's still a virgin at twenty-three. Until the new waiter in his sister's diner awakens desires he'd long ago given up on.

The last thing Alessandro wants is to fall for someone as fragile as Jaime. And Jaime may have a new heart, but he's scared of what giving it to another person would mean. Their no-strings-attached, instructional approach to sex keeps emotion safely at bay, until a secret from Alessandro's past forces them to confront their feelings in the present...

Review
Alessandro Silva is moving back to the small town where he grew up with his foster parents. With the death of his foster dad, he decides to move back home to help out his mom and foster siblings. He doesn't look forward to moving back but he's grateful for what his parents did for him and he wants to give back. The downside will be to find a job when he's got a record, and what it means to be gay in a small town that remembers how much of a little shit he was when he was younger. Finding a job proves to be easy and that’s one problem crossed off the list, but his new job comes with the boss's brother and Jaime is just too sweet to resist. Ale doesn't do love but he sure would like to do Jaime, no strings attached of course.

Jaime is finally in great health after spending most of his life in a hospital. With a new heart he can start living and maybe find a boyfriend. When he see's Ale for the first time, he's exactly what he wants but Jaime fears that his inexperience might be somewhat of turnoff for the worldly looking Ale and Jaime prefers not to find out. Yet, the attraction between them cannot be denied and Ale teaches Jaime a few things and captures his heart in the process.

Alright, of course this book has to have the small-town assholes and something shifty from Ale's past and that’s what I could have done without. I just can't get on board with a villain that’s barely out of diapers. I was literally waiting for Ale to wait for his ass in a dark corner because just all the nopes. The book was so enjoyable without all that bully rich boy runs town thing (been there and read that).

What I liked most was the progression of Ale and Jaime's relationship. They were so super sweet and really touched me in the feels. Another plus is the positive portrayal of a foster home. I can't tell you how many times I've read the downers like it’s always a bad thing to be a foster which in all reality is plausible. So it was great to read about this great guy who was taken in by great parents and he's just trying to pass on that love that he learnt from a foster home (sea breeze refreshing). Also, the four way was made in hot heaven and my pants are gone. It was just incredibly sexy.

And lastly, the epic downer for me. Ale is Brazilian but I'm positive that’s two white dudes on the cover, and while some Brazilians do look white coming from Ale's description he was a brown guy, tan guy, wateva his complexion was darker than Jaime's. So all the nopes for that cover, really didn't do a good job of representing both characters.

Overall, really liked the story and I will most definitely read more from AM Arthur. No Such Thing was really enjoyable and Jaime and Ale were just so super cute.

4 Pants Off

What's Happening This Week!!

Hey folks, hope you all doing wonderfully and not suffering from this extreme asshole of a weather. Can I just say with all honesty, that this is the worst winter weather I've lived through. Like with that ice storm over the holidays which destroyed like all the trees and left so many without power. Also, there is this below freezing weather that happens on like a daily (can it be spring already please).

I know GRL registration happened this week for both authors and the general public and that was another crazy. Though I would love to come to GRL this year, I'm gonna have to hold off and hope to see you guys in 2015 *fingers crossed*.

So without further ramblings here's whats causing a pants losing this week...

Review:
It's All Geek To Me by JL Merrow (DarienMoya)
King of Dublin by Heidi Belleau & Lisa Henry (Whuppsy)
Trouble and the Wallflower by Kade Boehme (DarienMoya)
Riding Tall by Kate Sherwood (Whuppsy)
No Such Thing by A.M Arthur (DarienMoya)
Inches of Trust by AR Moler (Whuppsy)

Guest Posts & Giveaways:

The Professor Rule's Blog Tour (Every Inch of the Way)

Guest Post: Fight by Kelly Wyre

Other Posts:

Yaoi: What to read in 2014

~Have A Great Week~

Guest Post & Giveaway: No Such Thing by A.M Arthur

I want to thank the wonderful folks here at Pants Off Reviews for hosting me today, as I count down to the release of my first book with Carina Press, NO SUCH THING, which releases February 17. It's virgin bookworm with a heart condition meets reformed bad boy with a past, with my own angsty spin. There's also a pretty hot dance club scene that's already gotten a few readers talking….

Folks familiar with my stories know that food always shows up in some way, shape, or form. NO SUCH THING is no different. Jaime's sister Shannon owns a bakery/breakfast joint called Baker's Dozen that offers breakfast until noon, and thirteen different varieties of freshly baked muffins each day. Baker's Dozen is also where Jaime and Alessandro quite literally walk into each other's lives.

Shannon bakes because it's something she loves to do and she's good at it. Her open-minded ability to look beyond Alessandro's sketchy past and hire him to wait tables is the good luck that Alessandro needs—and not only because it leads him to Jaime. The job gives him a chance to prove himself, to help provide for his foster mother, and awakens a passion for food he never knew he had. Sometimes you don't know how much you'll enjoy something until you take a chance on it—just like love.

Food is an important part of our lives, not only because it sustains our everyday existence, but also because of how it becomes part of our traditions and memories. As a child, baking Christmas cookies with my mother and sister was the highlight of the season. We'd spend an entire weekend elbows-deep in flour, sugar, eggs, and candy, making more cookies than we'd ever eat as a family. So we shared with others (but always made sure to keep a few for Santa). I have so many memories of those special weekends, and a lot of recipes I look at fondly each Christmas.

So in the spirit of good memories, I want to share a recipe. We're past the season for Christmas cookies, so I thought about muffins. Alas, I don't actually have any muffin recipes of my own, and I don't want to slap one up that I copied out of the Betty Crocker cookbook. Instead, I'm sharing a family recipe for Sweet Potato Biscuits: Eastern Shore Style.

2 cups warm sweet potatoes, boiled and mashed

½ cup shortening

2 tsp baking powder

3 cups flour

¾ cup sugar

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Sift together flour, baking powder, and cinnamon. In another bowl, mix together warm sweet potatoes, sugar, salt, and shortening. Add the dry ingredients to it and mix thoroughly. Mixture will be sticky.

Flour a clean surface and roll dough to about one-half inch thickness. Cut with a circular biscuit cutter (or a floured, upside down glass). Bake on ungreased cookie sheets 12-15 minutes until set and barely browned.

Be sure to enjoy one while they're still warm! A friend also recently turned me on to slicing them in half and slathering cream cheese in between. YUM.

Blurb:
Twenty-two-year-old Alessandro Silva knows that returning to tiny Perch Creek to help his foster mother was the right thing to do. With no degree and a delinquent's reputation, he's lucky to have landed a job waiting tables. But not everyone is happy he's back, and the only thing keeping his move home from being a total bust is his boss's hot brother.

Jaime Winters spent most of his life watching the world go by, first from a series of hospitals and then from behind big stacks of textbooks. Studying is easier than facing the fact that years of heart failure means he's still a virgin at twenty-three. Until the new waiter in his sister's diner awakens desires he'd long ago given up on.

The last thing Alessandro wants is to fall for someone as fragile as Jaime. And Jaime may have a new heart, but he's scared of what giving it to another person would mean. Their no-strings-attached, instructional approach to sex keeps emotion safely at bay, until a secret from Alessandro's past forces them to confront their feelings in the present...



What are some of your favorite family food traditions? Share yours in the comments for a chance to win a digital copy of NO SUCH THING!

Giveaway

• Must be 18yrs or older
• Leave email along with comment
• Winner has 48hrs to reply to my email or another winner will be chosen
• Contest runs until February 12th 2014 11:59PM EST

Review: Waiting for Ty by Samantha Ann King

Waiting for Ty by Samantha Ann King
Carina Press
Novella: 106pgs
3 Pants Off

Blurb:
Tyler Coil doesn't do men. But it’s harder to remember that each time he visits his best friend, gorgeous Landon Burke. As a political reporter, Ty is good at reading people, and he can tell the lust is mutual. But giving in to it could mean alienating his ultra-conservative family.

Landon never desired a man badly enough to explore that side of his sexuality—until he met Ty. He’s waited four long years for a sign that Ty wants him too, and he can’t deny his needs much longer. So when a career opportunity arises out-of-state, Landon wonders if maybe it’s time to move on.

Then Ty crashes at Landon’s while working on a story—and a searing kiss ignites a night of mind-blowing sex that’s better than their most erotic fantasies. Forced to face his feelings, Ty must decide if love is worth the risk after all—before he loses Landon forever.

Review
I am a very big fan of the friends to lover’s trope, but I've come to realize that they can be either exceptional or just mediocre. This one started off exceptional but fizzled from the middle onward and offered up what I would call some very cliché scenes and dialogue. It felt like it was a taken from a book of "How to Write" a best-friends to lovers story.

Ty is a political reporter and with his job he just can't be gay and also hurting his family is just not an option. Pushing his feelings for men aside have become easy, but there is just exception to that rule and it’s his best-friend Landor. When it comes to Landor, Ty is like snake just waiting to strike he's got him all tied up in knots and thinking of him only as a friend is easier said than done. What makes it worse is that it’s obvious Landor is interested too and it would have been easier to deny his attraction if his affections was one-sided. When Ty comes to town of course he'll spend the time with his main bud, but sexual tension is at an all time high and beer lowers the reasons of why hooking up is a bad idea.

Landor loves Ty and has for a long time. He thought that maybe his feelings would go unnoticed but it becomes clear that Ty feels the same way. A night of passion is the best thing that’s ever happened to Landor but the following morning proves that Ty isn't in it to win it. What Landor hopes is that he doesn't lose his friend and maybe his heart can take it when Ty walks away.

As I said this started out strong and I was all ready for the angst and awesome. But, it really did fizzle and eye roll numerous was out in full force. I really can't understand some of the character's decisions, like Ty disappearing and then appearing (No dude you just don't get away with that). Landor seemed like a pushover because if that were me Ty would have to grovel for like weeks.

Most things felt very cliché, like scenes and dialogue and it left me wondering if this was the author’s first M/M book? Even Ty's parents felt like an after school special of bad parents. Kudos for the very strong beginning, it really captured my interest and I wanted to know more about the characters but it fizzled for me by the middle. Also they were just too fantastic at sex like too fantastic, being the first time for both.

Should You Read It? I know there are readers that would really love this one. I really liked it up to a certain point, and then it just became "ok". One of those you have to discover for yourself.

3 Pants Off

What's Happening This Week! (Its Been Awhile)...

Omo, its been awhile. I do apologize for my lack of posts, buts its been a busy few months and I haven't been reading as much. I hope to change things during the start of the new school year, and get back to the regular schedule programming.

Pants Off is also being swamped with review requests, and sadly I don't have the reviewer power to meet the demand. SO IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN JOINING THE PANTS OFF TEAM. PLEASE DROP ME AN EMAIL @ pantsoffreviews@live.ca (will do another post for this).

So since I been MIA for awhile, I would love to know what you guys have been up to and what you would like to see more of on Pants Off Reviews.

Without further ado, here's what’s causing a pants losing this week...

Reviews:

• Whiskey and Wry by Rhys Ford (Oops Where Did My Pants Go)
• From the Ashes by Daisy Harris
• The Gravemen by Melissa North (Fehu)
• Waiting For Ty by Samantha Ann King
• Sonata by A.F Henley

Guest Posts & Giveaways

• Glitterland Guest Post
• Writing In Series by Josephine Myles (Junk Blog Tour)

Other Post

• Fanfic Friday

Have A Great Week!

Review: Trick of Time by JL Merrow

Trick of Time by JL Merrow
Carina Press
Short Story:
3.75 Pants Off

Blurb:
A lover from another time

When Ted Ennis steps out the doors of the Criterion Theatre for a cigarette and finds himself in Victorian London, he begins to doubt his sanity. At first he thinks it's all a film set, and is sure that the strikingly handsome young man leaning against a lamppost must be the leading man…

What starts as a sordid transaction with a beautiful rent boy quickly turns into something much deeper, drawing him back again and again as he gets to know Jem and craves meaningful encounters with him.

But Ted doesn't understand the exact conditions necessary for his trips through time—and for Jem, time may actually be running out. Now Ted has one last shot to get back to Jem and save their relationship, before it's too late…

Review:
I am a huge fan of JL Merrow's writing, wonderful characters with great bits of wit and personality. Trick of Time is unlike any of the stories I've read, but it’s another side of the author's writing I very much enjoyed.

Ted Ennis lost his husband and family in the blink of an eye, and now he's all alone. Left with the scars of the accident, he just has the theatre where he works as something to keep him sane. When he heads out for a smoke break one night, Ted thinks he's walked unto a Victorian London movie set, and there's even the rent boy by the lamp post to make it authentic. Ted feels like he's losing his mind, and a co-worker confirms it when he looks out and see present London (billboards and all). This might all be a trick of the mind, but the beautiful boy against the lamp post with the talented mouth can't be a figment of his imagination, there’s just no way.

Lamp post boy turns out be Jem, and Ted is fascinated by him and looks forward to every smoke break. For Ted it’s like waking up after the death of his family, there’s the guilt and self doubt but most of all there's all the feels. A series of intimate encounters lead the men towards a friendships of sorts, and Ted finds that he likes to be where Jem is, that is until he gets trapped in the time warp and faced with the confusion, poverty, and reality that he might be trapped in a time he was never meant to be in.

This story though short is very moving. I feel like I got to see things through both the character's eyes, though it’s told only through Ted's pov. It has a great sense of place that pulls you in, and even though I was trying to figure out the reason for this time slip, it all just felt right. I wanted Ted to find happiness and I wanted him to have it with Jem. The idea behind them being together seems ludicrous and impossible, but I wanted it anyways. How JL brings it all together was done rather well, maybe a little farfetched but it worked out very well. There is some focus on the how the time travel came about, and how Ted was able to work it for favourable results.

Overall, I really enjoyed it and it felt like a full novel on such a few pages. I really got to know Ted and I got to know Jem through Ted. There was nothing to laugh about in this one, but the author still manages to bring her cleverness.

What's Happening This Week! Feb 4th-9th

Hello, my friends! Hope last week has been good to you, and you're having a pleasant weekend. My week has been dealing with my 3yr old who has Chicken Pox *sigh*. He got the pox from his shots that are supposed to stop him from getting the pox (the freaking irony). Its not a bad case, but lets just say his little man parts are definitely feeling the most of it.

Lots of awesome happened last week, with the launch of my Fan-Art post which was totally awesome. Lots of Supernatural and Teen Wolf pretty. Still looking for more submissions, so if anyone is interested please drop me an email.

Here's what’s causing a pants losing this week...

Reviews:
Do Svidaniya, Good-bye by Cecilia Ryan (Buggy)
Trick of Time by JL Merrow
Sacred Hearts by Dev Bentam
Screwing The System by Josephine Myles
Captive by Remy Jensen (Fehu)
Flesh Cartel 3: Choices by Heidi Belleau & Rachel Haimowitz

Guest Posts & Giveaways:
Flesh Cartel Interview


Other Posts:
Waiting On A Pants Losing: February Pants Droppers

~Have A Great Week!~

Review: 40 Souls to Keep by Libby Drew

40 Souls To Keep by Libby Drew
Carina Press
Novel: 253pgs
3.5 Pants Off

Blurb:
Seven years ago, Jase awoke with the mystical power to heal people—and no memory of his past. The only clue to his identity is the number forty tattooed on his arm. Driven by a mission he doesn't understand, Jase follows his visions to those he's meant to save. He is convinced that the fortieth person he's drawn to—a little girl named Macy Pearl—is the key to finally learning the truth...

Social worker Lucas Jacobson has made a promise to protect Macy, orphaned when her parents were brutally murdered. So when Jase shows up in Naples claiming he's there to heal the child, Lucas is wary, despite his attraction to the enigmatic stranger.

Then Macy is abducted, and Lucas has no choice but to trust in Jase. Scouring the city from its glitzy resorts to its seedy underbelly only deepens the mystery—and draws the two men closer. But Jase is certain of one thing: if Macy dies, a dark fate awaits them all.

Review:
This is going to be one of those books that you really love or sort of hate; I am somewhat stuck in the middle. The idea behind the book is somewhat brilliant, and the writing is excellent, I am just very dissatisfied with how it all came together, even though it does have the power to keep you from stop reading. A great effort by Libby Drew, but by the end I kind of stopped caring for the MCs.

A man awakes in a park with no recollection of how he got there, or who he is. A young boy is also at the park with his grandmother and they care enough to take him home and feed him. They pick the name Jase for him, and Jase struggles with the fact that he can’t remember anything about himself. What he does discover is that he has a tattoo (a number 40) and he has the power to heal. That little part comes a surprise but Jase knows what he must do, and that tattoo is about to become the bane to his existence.

Lucas Jacobson is with Child Protective Services, and he’s just been called to his worst case yet. Seems the little girl he’s supposed to pick up might have witnessed the murder of her parents. The fact that they lived in poverty and might be surrounded by gators is another sad fact to add to the equation. Lucas Knows one thing, he’s willing to protect the little girl Macy with all he has, and that is exactly what he has to do.

7 years later Jase has saved many a souls and he is down to his last one a little girl called Macy, and then it will all be over and he can go back to the life he forgot. However, Lucas Jacobson wasn’t supposed to be a part of package but he seems to Macy’s protector. The men are thrust into keeping Macy alive while trying to figure out who’s after her, and realizing not everything is, as it seems.

As I said, the idea behind the book is great. The setting is so rich I was instantly caught up in what the author created, from the lavish setting of the rich, to that of the poorest of poor. It was like one giant awesome road trip (with an ominous countdown). That was my fave part of the entire book, them driving around and the description of the scenery. That part is very well done. It’s another one of those books where it’s longer than it needed to be and by time the ending rolled around my interest was gone. I liked Lucas and Jase a lot, but not that much time was spent on them together, so I can’t call them a couple but as individuals I really like them. Again, lots to like, the plot is interesting and as much as I liked the driving and running around this probably will turn some readers off.

Should You Read It? Yes, if you want to read suspense with a nice paranormal twist. I legit will be reading more from Libby Drew; this book has captured my interest with her obvious talent for spinning a tale. 40 Souls To Keep will be a hit or miss for most readers, but for me I liked it.

3.5 Pants Off

What's Happening This Week!!

Hello folks, I hope you guys had a wonderful week. I had a week full of allergies, and this week isn't look so good either cus right now my eyes feel like they have sand in them. The weather is being crazy here, one minute it's freaking cold as hell and the next feels like a spring day (mother nature make up your mind).

Remember that time when I took a break to help my son with his reading, which wasn't that long ago. Well my little man is a star, he can read everything now, and has this skill in breaking down a word he doesn't know and bam he knows it. He has just been shining, been student of the month, and I peeped in on him reading Dr Seuss to his little brother. Lets just say, that this mommy is proud as hell. Anything have you guys feeling all proud?

Alright, time for blog things. There is still time to win Drama Queens with Love Scenes contest runs until the 21st.

Storm Moon Press anniversary tour (lots of prizes to be had)

Here's whats causing a pants losing this week...


Reviews:
Bite Your Tongue by E.A Clarke (Fehu)
The Boys and The Bees by Mari Donne
Weight of A Gun by Various Authors
Sinner's Gin by Rhys Ford
40 Souls to Keep by Libby Drew

Guest Post & Giveaways:
Perfect: Excerpt & Interview by M.A Church
Excerpt & Giveaway (Something New Under The Sun) by L.A Witt
Storm Moon Press Anniversary Tour

~Enjoy Your Week~

Review: Sight Unseen by Hunter Raines

Sight Unseen by Hunter Raines
Carina Press
Novel: 68,000wrds
4 Pants Off

Blurb:
Daniel Van Doren was once a renowned writer, until he was blinded in the car accident that killed his lover. Now, all he sees are ghosts in need of help. They follow him everywhere, and the only way to be rid of his ethereal visitors is to help them resolve their unfinished business here on earth so their spirits can find peace.

Ghostwriter Logan Riley is assigned to pen Daniel's biography. He plans to reveal him as a fraud, but when they meet he's struck by Danny's quiet sincerity--and a growing attraction. Which makes sticking close to Danny to find out the truth more than a little distracting.

When they are attacked by a violent poltergeist Logan begins to believe Danny's not just telling the truth, he's in grave danger. A spirit has learned how to harness the energy of the living to break through the barrier between worlds to harm Danny. And Logan may be the one to blame...

Review:
I am surprised by how much I enjoyed reading this book. I was intrigued because it had ghosts and a blind man, but surprisingly it also delivered a solid story, which sadly got a bit effed up in the end. Which really brought down my rating because eye roll numerous was out and I was not happy.

Daniel Van Doren lost his sight in the same crash that killed his lover. A writer on his way to big success, everything was lost the same night he lot his sight. The only thing Daniel can see clearly are ghosts and they come to him for help. How is a blind man supposed to help ghosts? Well Daniel always finds a way, willing to go to the most unsavoury of places. This skill garners a whole lot of attention, attention Daniel doesn't want or need. He just wants to be left alone, and spend his nights in peace and quiet. Until Logan Riley walks into his life offering a ton of money to let him write his autobiography. The money would help Daniel out in many ways but it would also mean spending time with a stranger.

Logan Riley has ulterior motives; he wants to expose Daniel for the fraud that he is. No one can see ghosts and for a blind man especially. Logan finds himself attracted to the man but he knows not to mix business with pleasure. Yet, keeping it separate is becoming hard because Daniel calls to him like no man before. He is just really having a hard time believing in the ghost mumbo jumbo until drink glasses and furniture start moving by itself. Seems Daniel is somehow apart of his past and is quickly becoming his entire future.

I really liked how the book started; it had me completely riveted. Suddenly I am in love with Daniel too and looking forward to his ghostly adventures. The conflict with the poltergeist added some good plot and was entertaining. It’s the getting rid of the poltergeist part that left me feeling "meh". The whole spiritual take over was just too much and I was not happy about that. The upside, I was surprised by it because I thought the author would have taken different route (sex causing lots of energy that would have led to ghost overload).

I liked the slow build up of Daniel and Logan's relationship. It was very insta love, but with enough development to make it believable. So yes, I did enjoy this one and Hunter Raines is now on my radar. The ending made it lose a few points but I still enjoyed it. Good stuff!

*Copy courtesy of Netgalley*

4 Pants Off

What's Happening This Week!

Hello, everyone hope you had a wonderful week. Mine has been sorta sucky and this week isn't looking so hot right now. I do believe I am getting the flu so yes "Sucky".

For all of you who missed my announcement, you cant check out the post titled Taking A Chill Pill. I am going on a little hiatus to gather myself and comeback bigger and better than ever. So look out for it.


Here's whats causing a pants losing this week...

Monday

• The Flesh Cartel Blog Tour: Interview & Giveaway with Heidi & Rachel about their explosive new serial
• Review: for Men Like Us by Brita Addams

Tuesday

• Review: The Prince of Winds by Tali Spencer (Reviewed by Fehu)
• Review: The Island by Lisa Henry (Reviewed by Buggy)

 Wednesday

• J.P Barnaby Guest Post: Aaron Blog Tour
• Review: Sight Unseen by Hunter Raines

Thursday

• Review: Saving Sean by Con Riley (Reviewed by Hannah)
• Review: Love In Plain Sight by Susan Laine 

Friday

• Review: A Most Unusual Courtship by Nancy M. Griffis (Reviewed by Fehu)
• Review: The Wishing Book of Barnaby Sloan by Jenna Jones (Reviewed by Fehu)
• Review: The Flesh Cartel: #1 Capture by Rachel Haimowitz & Heidi Belleau

~Schedule subject to change~

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Torquere Submission

Torquere Press, the first GLBT Romance epublisher, is open to GLBT romance submissions in all categories. Click here for current open anthology and special calls.

Torquere Press focuses on GLBT romance, exclusively. We publish all the sub-genres of romance -- paranormal, contemporary, western, suspense, etc.. We do require a happy ending, whether that ending is happily ever after or happy for now.

We publish lengths from 3000 words and up. Our pricing structure is based solely on word count.

All submissions to Torquere Press must adhere to the following guidelines or they will be discarded unread.

All submissions must contain gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered characters. While works do not need to be graphic, they must contain romance and focus on the interaction between characters. Acceptance preference will be given to stories with fully realized romances and a high level of sensuality.

All manuscripts must be submitted to submissions@torquerepress.com as an attachment in either .doc, .txt, or .rtf format.

Length standards:

• Novel - 45,000 words and up
• Novella - 20-45,000 words
• Novelette - 10-20,000 words
• Short Stories - Under 10,000 words

All submissions must

• be spell checked and edited for grammar.
• be single spaced with a space in between paragraphs. Indents at the beginning of paragraphs are not necessary. Any submissions with severe formatting problems (ie: blocks of text with no paragraph breaks, illegible fonts) will not be read.
• labeled in subject line of email as a submission, and include the anthology name if applicable
• include a word count and a brief synopsis of the work.
• all spelling should be in American English
• include a short bio of the author along with the author's contact information. Authors may use a pseudonym for their work, but we will need full legal names and contact information for contracts. All information will be kept in the strictest confidence.

We are primarily looking for homoerotic stories in all genres. We are not looking for sex without characterization. Plotty, sensual character-driven novels are our focus. We are currently actively seeking menage stories (m/m/f) and sensual, sexy gay novels (m/m).

We will not accept stories with pedophilia; incest or those containing rape for titillation or other gratuitous violence. We will not accept stories with bestiality (relationships with animals occurring in natural life not including shapeshifters). We will also reject stories that are clearly a copyright infringement, including any that have been converted from fan fiction or that are based on TV shows, movies, or literary characters. We do accept simultaneous submissions, however we require you to update us if there is any interest in your submission from another publisher or if it is accepted elsewhere. We do accept multiple submissions.

We are not currently seeking m/f/f romance.

Unsolicited manuscripts are accepted at any time. Please remember, however, that current projects take precedence, and while we will acknowledge all submissions in a timely manner, it may take some time for one of our editors to review your work. Please allow 3-8 weeks for a response.. All accepted works will need to be provided to us as an electronic file, and please note we are now using electronic contracts.

Review: Thief by Ava March

Thief (Brook Street #1) by Ava March
Carina Press
Novella: 112pgs
4 Pants Off

Blurb:
London, 1822 ... It was only supposed to be one night. One night to determine once and for all if he truly preferred men. But the last thing Lord Benjamin Parker expected to find in a questionable gambling hell is a gorgeous young man who steals his heart.

It was only supposed to be a job. Cavin Fox has done it many times — select a prime mark, distract him with lust, and leave his pockets empty. Yet when Cavin slips away under the cover of darkness, the only part of Benjamin he leaves untouched is his pockets.

With a taste of his fantasies fulfilled, Benjamin wants more than one night with Cavin. But convincing the elusive young man to give them a chance proves difficult. Living with a band of thieves in the worst area of London, Cavin knows there's no place for him in a gentleman's life. Yet Benjamin isn't about to let Cavin—and love—continue to slip away from him.

Review:
I have a few of Ava March’s books on my TBR, but this is the first time I have read something by her and trust me folks it will not be my last. I have a thing for historical romance, especially in M/M. You wonder how a homosexual romance will work in 1822. The author takes a simplistic approach, which really worked for the story.

Lord Benjamin is a man on a mission. He needs one night to figure out if he is attracted to men or he’s going to begin the search for a wife. So he finds himself in a shady part of town in a in a gaming hell hoping to score some action. When he finds himself not responding to any of the males present, he calls his suspicion on his over active imagination. Seems as if he might be on the market for a wife, until his body gets all excited by a beautiful stranger.

Cavin Fox is a thief and he is out looking for prey. When his eyes land on the man in the fancy clothes, Cavin knows what the fancy looking lord is after. With the gaming hell known for its clientele of men looking to hook up with other men. He’s going to provide what he came looking for, and empty his pockets after.

The men first meeting is explosive, and chemistry is just happening all over the place. It comes as no surprise that they find themselves in a motel ready to spend the night in carnal pleasure. Benjamin is experiencing all this for the first time, and it is everything and more he hoped it would be. Cavin is a caring lover, and Ben is hoping something more can from this one night together.

Of course Cavin takes off at lightning speed without emptying Ben’s pockets. He’s cursing himself up and down but he couldn’t hurt the man when he gave him such a special night. A mix-up in clothing has Cavin seeking out Ben sooner than he hoped, but he won’t deny he’s all kinds of happy to see him.

I really enjoyed this one a lot! I liked that the story remained simple and did not offer up too much complication. Because realistically all their time together has to be done in secret without drawing unnecessary attention from anyone. I loved Benjamin’s take-charge attitude. He went out to find if he liked men, he found out and now will live his life accordingly (like a boss).

Also enjoyed that Cavin’s life, as a thief played no over the top role. By over the top, I mean that no villain from his old life tried to make his life hard. That was really refreshing and glad the author didn’t bring in a bad guy. Enjoyed Cavin and Ben together, it was super hot and caused some serious pants losing.

I am so looking forward to reading the rest of the books in the series.

4 Pants Off

Copy provided by Netgalley.com

Sex Scene and Giveaway with Heidi Belleau and Violetta Vane

I am so excited to have the dynamic duo that is Heidi and Violetta stopping by the blog again today. It's always such a pleasure to have them. Today they have shared with us a hot little scene from their newest release The Druid Stone (a scene I really love) and they are also giving away a copy. Trust me, you want this book! Check out my review HERE


Hi Pants Off readers! We're Heidi Belleau and Violetta Vane, here to share a steamy scene from our new book The Druid Stone, out today from Carina Press. We're also giving away a free copy to one lucky commenter, so read on!

The Druid Stone is the story of Sean O'Hara, a young American who has inherited a terrible family curse and travels to Ireland to have it lifted. The man for the job is Cormac Kelly, druid-for-hire and prickly bastard. The two quickly catch the attention of Finnbheara, king of the fairies... and each other, in a hot-as-hell love/hate relationship.

Here's the blurb:

Sean never asked to be an O'Hara, and he didn't ask to be cursed by one either.

After inheriting a hexed druid stone from his great-grandfather, Sean starts reliving another man's torture and death...every single night. And only one person can help.

Cormac Kelly runs a paranormal investigation business and doesn't have time to deal with misinformed tourists like Sean. But Sean has real magic in his pocket, and even though Cormac is a descendant of legendary druids, he soon finds himself out of his depth...and not because Sean's the first man he's felt anything for in a long time.

The pair develop an unexpected and intensely sexual bond, but are threatened at every turn when Sean's case attracts the unwelcome attention of the mad sidhe lords of ancient Ireland. When Sean and Cormac are thrust backward in time to Ireland's violent history—and their own dark pasts—they must work together to escape the curse and save their fragile relationship.

~~~

So are you looking forward to The Druid Stone? Have a thing for Irish mythology or maybe just Irish accents? Buy the book now from Carina Press, Amazon, or ARe, or add it on Goodreads. Other retailers are listed on the book's website, www.knockmanovel.com, which also has links to the rest of the blog tour and chances to win copies. You can also drop us a comment here for a chance to win a free ebook copy!


And now, how about a sexy taste of the book? Things get heated for Sean and Cormac after they walk through the Beltane fires...

~~~

"Hey, you think I can run a load in the laundry tonight? I'm getting short on jeans. I thought these would last another day." He gestured to the splatter across one thigh helplessly, trying on a shrug and exasperated smile. Charming, that was the verdict. Cormac felt himself caught between two warring, equally absurd, urges: the one to gather Sean into a headlock and take his knuckles to the top of his head, and the other to bend him backward over the kitchen counter and strip his jeans off then and there. He rubbed at the top of his own thigh, reflexively mirroring Sean's gesture.

He defaulted to the tried-and-true method of pulling Sean's leg. "You're not allowed to wash your trousers on Beltane."

"You're fucking with me." He loved that little flash of uncertainty in Sean's voice, the way that challenging statement seemed to teeter on the precipice of having a question mark tacked to the end. He could get a lot of mileage out of fucking with Sean. Or just fucking him.

"I am," Cormac said, and he tried not to show his teeth when he smiled. Beltane's magic was working on him, getting under his skin, making him hyperaware and predatory. He felt a little like the big bad wolf. "Do you know how to run the thing?"

"Yeah, but I don't know where the detergent is," Sean said, no trace of any of his earlier uncertainty. A quick recovery there.

"The hallway closet—here, I suppose it's on my way so I'll just show you, so." He turned, pacing abruptly down the hall in a last-ditch attempt to avoid looking at Sean any longer. Sean's throat. Sean's jaw. Sean's mouth. Sean's narrow hips. It was already taking all the willpower Cormac had to keep his hands off Sean, keep from exploring every tempting inch of him.

Sean followed.

Cormac opened the door for him, gesturing to the shelves: detergent, softener, dish soap, towels, silver polish, an empty carton of light bulbs, all the detritus of home maintenance. He turned.

Sean stood there, just stood there, right in Cormac's personal space, looking like he was lost, scarcely breathing but smiling faintly. Cormac felt like there was a magnet in his chest, vibrating electric, and Sean was being drawn to it, too subtly for an outsider to notice maybe, but Cormac could sense it, the way Sean's body leaned imperceptibly forward. Maybe Beltane was working on him too. His eyes were dark, huge, pupils reflecting the single light that did its piss-poor job illuminating the narrow hallway.

Maybe, maybe—he was caught in a surge of possibilities, the most appealing one being that if he had Sean tonight, just got it over with, got it out of his system, this unnameable thing would go away, let go, leave him free to do his work without the weirdly protective fussing or overlong stares. And God, he was hard just from that, just the sight of Sean, just the thought of finally giving himself permission. Yes, it made sense.

All he had to do was take half a step forward.

He cupped Sean's shoulders, shoving him back against the wall, hard, because he couldn't afford the risk of making this slow or sweet. Sean never stopped looking in his eyes, an intense not-quite-bewildered stare, not even when Cormac pressed up against him close, pinning him with hands and chest and hips.

The muscles of his body were tense under Cormac's hands, not necessarily uncomfortable or nervous, more like...waiting for something. Waiting for Cormac, maybe, to show him what to do, invite him in, barrel him over and take him, maybe. Cormac felt a matching tension in his own body, taut as a bowstring waiting to release. He realized he was panting, aggressive—desperate, even. And the only relief was to press his hips forward, grind himself against Sean, feeling the heat of his body even through the stiff fabric, wanting to know if he was hard too, aching like Cormac was...

The smell of wood smoke was intoxicating.

"Tell me to stop," he growled into the hollow of Sean's throat, tasting the smoke, and he didn't know whether he was daring Sean or begging him.

~~~

• Must be 18yrs or older
• Leave comment and email
• Winner has 48hrs to reply to email or another winner is chosen
• Contest runs until August 11th 11:59pm EST