Review: Galway Bound by Heidi Belleau & Violetta Vane

Galway Bound (Layers of the Otherworld #1.1) by Heidi Belleau & Violetta Vane
Self-Published
Short Story:
4 Pants Off

Blurb:
A year after they saved each other’s lives in The Druid Stone and eager to return a little bit of intensity to a sex-life that's been put on the backburner, Cormac and Sean book a weekend in Galway with no limits and no distractions. Cormac has a few ideas on how to spice things up and the bag full of kinky surprises he needs to make them happen: a spreader bar, a brand new toy or two, and even Sean’s own belt. But once the cuffs get buckled, just how far can he push Sean... and himself?

“Galway Bound” is a BDSM short featuring Sean and Cormac from the urban fantasy M/M series Layers of the Otherworld, but the only magic here is what’s happening in their bed. Fans of the series and new readers alike will all find a little something to love in this erotic story.

Short Review:

WooHoo, Sean and Cormac are back and they are setting sheets on fire and causing a serious pants losing. This time there is no crazy to get in the way; if you read The Druid Stone, you know it was crazy. The spotlight is on them and man do they perform.

The men decide to take a holiday and explore their kinks. The untried is heavy in the air but its clear that this really is something they need to do. It’s not about spicing things up; it’s about tapping into that unexplored part of them. What buttons to push, what not to push and what are their limits. They came to play but it never overshadows the love they have for each other and of course the trust. Because, trust me these guys have been through some epic shit and trust played a key role.

No better way to celebrate one year of being together and loving each other by getting their kink on. The characters are still awesome; Sean still has his spunky personality, and Cormac is still all alpha male but can’t seem to keep control when it comes to Sean. Together they are DYNOMITE. It's PWP but its very good PWP (porn without plot).

Overall, liked it a lot and I’m happy the authors wrote this story. My heart didn't give out at any point (lies) and my only worry was if Sean's ass could handle it, easy peasy. I would recommend you read The Druid Stone before this one, and if you are a fan, go snag yourself a copy.  Just sexy good times.

4 Pants Off

~Be sure to enter to win  copies of both The Druid Stone and Galway Bound~

Sex Scene & Giveaway: The Druid Stone & Galway Bound

Omo, once again I have the awesome Heidi Belleau stopping by again. She's brought you a scorching excerpt and a fantastic giveaway. Remember to give the authors some love and enter the contest. Check out my review for Galway Bound.

Hello hello, pantsless readers! Heidi Belleau here with a sex scene and a couple of free books for you!

If you’ve read The Druid Stone, you may remember our heroes Sean O’Hara and Cormac Kelly. Well, now they’re back in a new erotic BDSM short that’s sure to be a treat for fans and newbies alike. Galway Bound is now available from all your favourite e-tailers, including Amazon and ARe. There’s spanking, Irish dirty talk, and even a bubble bath . . . but I’m getting ahead of myself.

Here’s the blurb:
A year after they saved each other’s lives in The Druid Stone and eager to return a little bit of intensity to a sex-life that's been put on the backburner, Cormac and Sean book a weekend in Galway with no limits and no distractions. Cormac has a few ideas on how to spice things up and the bag full of kinky surprises he needs to make them happen: a spreader bar, a brand new toy or two, and even Sean’s own belt. But once the cuffs get buckled, just how far can he push Sean... and himself?

“Galway Bound” is a BDSM short featuring Sean and Cormac from the urban fantasy M/M series Layers of the Otherworld, but the only magic here is what’s happening in their bed. Fans of the series and new readers alike will all find a little something to love in this erotic story.

Contains: D/s, impact play, edging/orgasm denial, bondage, toys, light voyeurism.

***

Want a taster? Read on for an exclusive excerpt of this sizzling short. Like what you see? Leave us a comment here, and one lucky winner will win an e-copy in their choice of formats of The Druid Stone and Galway Bound. And if the person who wins the draw already has The Druid Stone, they can choose to gift the copy they’ve just won to a friend of their choice and spread the love around.

***

“So what are the rules?” asked Sean, then gave his head a shake. “Cormac.”

“The rules. Oh.” Cormac’s gaze fell on the third button of Sean’s shirt, on the shadowed depression between the muscles of Sean’s chest. Cormac slipped the button through, then the next, down to the last button, taking care not to touch Sean’s skin. “What makes you think there’s supposed to be rules?” He felt one corner of his mouth twitch, but quelled the expression expertly.

“Well, you know. Research.” Sean shifted his weight. The shirt fell half off, exposing his right shoulder. The asymmetrical effect was nothing short of stunning. He looked rather like a shy artist’s model.

Cormac, his throat gone dry, had to swallow before he answered. “Research, was it now? And what kind of research did you do?”

“A little Wikipedia, a little bondage porn. Or a lot. I mean, I’ve had a while to think about this.” He shrugged his shoulders, slipping the shirt down a few more inches. Damn, he knew exactly how he looked right now. More importantly, how he looked to Cormac.

“See anything you liked? Tell me.”

“It’s hard. I mean, to talk about.”

Cormac could read that reluctance in his muscles, in the tense set of his shoulders.

No pity. “I know. That’s why I want you to try.” Cormac kept his tone firm, but soft. The sense of authority in his voice made him tingle with anticipation.

Sean’s pupils dilated and his lips parted slightly, sticking at the corners. “Okay. I just want to... give everything up for a while. However you can do that. You know me. You know what I like.”

It was sweet, really, but this wasn’t about sweet. “You’re right about that. But that’s not what I asked.” He clenched his teeth around that last ‘d’, snapping it in his mouth primly. “I asked, ‘Did you see. Anything you liked.’”

Sean’s cheeks turned a delectable flustered red, barely noticeable under the shade of his skin, but apparent to Cormac. He lifted his chin. “There was... there was one... There was a man, they didn’t let him come. They teased him until he was crying, begging for it, but they didn’t—not until—”

Cormac reached for Sean’s shoulders, sweeping the shirt clear of his body. It fell to the floor, pooling around his feet. He knew which video Sean was talking about, had sat and watched it when he’d found it lurking in their web history. “You liked all of it, did you?” Cormac certainly had. But to hear Sean recount it in his unsteady voice was at least hundred times better.

“Yeah.” Sean visibly relaxed now that he had such an easy question to answer. “Except the names they called him. But everything else, God, yes.”

“I think maybe I’ll stick to calling you Sean,” Cormac said as comfort. He’d been expecting that. Too bad, because ‘boy’ had a certain appeal, especially now that Sean was looking to him—not up at him, he was too tall for that, although the effect was quite the same—with his dark, trusting eyes, waiting for direction even if it made him nervous. “And as for rules, we’ll keep this dead simple. I won’t gag you. You can say ‘no’ or ‘slow down’ any time and I’ll be listening. All I’ll ask in exchange is that you’re obedient, understood? That you trust me.”

“Yes.” Sean lowered his eyelids a fraction. That look that always set Cormac’s blood on fire. “I’m ready.”

Cormac kept up what he hoped was an entirely impassive front. “Take off your belt and hand it to me,” he ordered.

***

• Must be 18yrs or older
• Leave a comment with email
• Contest runs until October 14th 11:59pm EST

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

Review: The Druid Stone by Heidi B & Violetta V

The Druid Stone by Heidi Belleau & Violetta Vane
Carina Press
Novel
4.5 Pants Off

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.


Review:
My word! The Druid Stone was a super fantastic read, which comes as no surprise because the wonderful authors have yet to disappoint me with their awesome writing skills. I am neither eloquent nor crazy intelligent, but I will try to express why this book is super awesome in a very Pants Off style.

We met Sean back In Cruce de Caminos, where he was a drug addict, and prostituting himself for a little money. When Sean gets into the wrong van (a white van) his life gets thrown into the supernatural, and it’s for that very reason why he is still alive today. Fast forward and he’s now a different man a better man. The downside is, he’s plagued by hellacious nightmares, and only medication can give him a bit of relief. However, he does not want to be a man living and seeing his life through a fog. Seems his nightmares might be stemmed from else where, and his family cursed. Sean must now travel to Ireland in search of a Druid called Cormac Kelly.

Cormac the druid, lives his life investigating the paranormal and solving the problems. So when Sean shows up on his door step talking about curses and nightmares he shows him the exit quick, quick. He has no time for the delusions of American tourists believing in leprechauns and magic. So their first meeting doesn’t exactly go well.  When Sean finds himself in the otherworld taking on a Sidhe King, Cormac comes to his rescue. Regretting how he treated Sean, he decides to help him figure out the true nature of his dreams, and the importance of a green stone Sean now has in his possession.

The story then unfolds with all kinds of awesome, and to talk about it would be to write a small novella. Sean and Cormac go on an adventure that is larger than life, and I was kept on the edge of my toes fearing for their safety, sanity, and overall existence. There was just so much awesome going on; it was like a mini movie unfolding (a great movie unfolding).

The characters are excellent and offer so much depth it’s incredible. Sean and Cormac shine, together they are a 100W bulb burning my retinas. Their friendship is a testament to love, because no matter where they ended up or where they were going, they did it together and for each other. Shit made my heart feel super happy. The supporting characters are excellent! I love Finnbheara, his leather pants call to me. I really enjoyed pretty much everyone.

There is a lot of plot, a lot of drama and plenty of angst but there is also humour. I laughed my ass off so many times, and its such humour that kept the book from being so completely depressing. There is also the epic romance, which sets the ground for epic romances. Sean and Cormac broke my heart and then mended it together, just loved them so very much.

The Druid Stone is a sweeping romance, awesome adventure, and one of the best otherworld books I have ever read. The level of storytelling is excellent, and the authors should definitely be on your radar.

4.5 Pants Off

ARC Review: Like It Or Not (Anthology)

Like It Or Not by Angelia Sparrow & Naomi Brooks, Sean Michael, Gryvon, Stella Harris, T.C Mill, Heidi Belleau & Violetta Vane
Storm Moon Press

Novel: 168pgs

4.5 Pants Off

Blurb:
Be it forced seduction/dubious consent, non-violent intimidation, or pre-negotiated fantasy, there is something wickedly taboo about non-consensual sex, where consent is muddled. While rape is a crime of power, focusing on exerting physical control over another person, non-con is all about the gray area where verbal consent is either never given (not a 'yes', but not a 'no' either) or doesn't match the arousal and passion both parties share during the act. In Like It or Not, we push the boundaries of consent without fully breaking them.


When Connor's rent money is due and not even hooking can make up the shortfall, he really is Out of Options. So when playboy Jarrett makes him a very generous offer, he doesn't look too closely at the terms—and lives to regret it.

Then, werewolf Trevor is subjected to Obedience Classes when his pack alpha becomes fed up with his rebellion. Dirk, the wolf charged with this task, though, seems more interested in claiming Trevor for himself, by any means necessary.

Writer Ian Richards has to decide What It's Worth to get his story when his contact meets him in a private club. In fact, Vincenzo has no intention of letting his information go easily, if at all.

In Blindside, freshman Matt is tired of enduring the hazing by (admittedly gorgeous) upperclassman Dylan, when Dylan ups the ante significantly. And as much as Matt wants Dylan, he can't be sure the whole thing isn't one more bizarre prank.

Confessor Isak must resort to Unnatural Means when he is charged with the task of forcing Sain to confess his sins of murder and witchcraft before inevitable execution. Torturing in the name of the Divine is difficult enough, but when Sain's seductive magic takes hold of him, he isn't sure it will be Sain who breaks under pressure to find release.

Finally, Salting the Earth becomes Ronan's only choice when he suspects his sister has been taken by the fairies. However, this only draws the interest of ruthless King Finnbheara, who extracts a price for his cooperation that may be too high for Ronan to pay.

Review:
Another winning anthology by Storm Moon Press. I am never a fan of reading them because they disappoint or you love it too much and want more. I really want more of all the stories offered up in this anthology, which is driving me hella crazy because I want more. I really loved/really liked all the stories in this one, if you have no problems with reading non-con then I highly suggest checking this book out.

Out of Options by Angelia Sparrow & Naomi Brooks
I do believe this is my favourite story in the entire anthology. Talk about being totally surprised by the amount of sexy, and gender pushing, and just overall awesomeness that was offered up. When money gets a little tight for Connor, he goes to his last resort, which is tricking. When he’s picked up by Jarret who pays him nicely, gives him tender loving, and wouldn’t mind seeing him again with payment of course. Connor feels like he’s hit the jackpot, but it calls go south when he signs a shady contract and bind himself to Jarret who isn’t as nice as he seems O_O (shady contract dude)

Seriously, I loved this story! Without getting into the politics of gender and all that, this story really pushed the boundaries. I think I blushed I bit, because I found it so incredibly sexy. It’s hardcore and it won’t settle well with most readers but it sure settled well with me.

“I like my boys with tits, and my girls with dicks”
-Out of Options

Obedience Class by Sean Michael
I really liked this one, because what’s not to like? Werewolf, unruly mate, and hot sexy man love. I know the whole mate werewolf thing is played but I’m a real sucker for them. Trevor is rebellious and his pack has had enough so they put Dirk on the case to bring him to obedience. I don’t know if I really liked Dirk methods of reining in Trevor. He truly came across as terrified, so that part really bothered me. Otherwise I totally loved it, and have been thinking about the sex they did/might have had in wolf form. Wanna know how that went down =_=

What It’s Worth by Gryvon
Fucking gawd, another story I want more of. Ian is a bit of a douche and literally hates everything. He does take pride in his work though he feels it all sucks which is contradictory. When one of his assignments leads him to the arms of Vincenzo.  Ian is thinking he takes too much pride in his work and should have left this one alone when he had the chance. It’s all just a little too late, and Ian finds himself tied and submitting to a stranger. I enjoyed this one a lot but just couldn’t handle the deflowering of Ian. So public, so clinical, and just not what I wanted for him. Although by the end, he is less douchy.

Blindside by Stella Harris
Another favourite, just because it was so freaking cute and funny. Matt believes he’s being hazed by upperclassman Dylan when he is called to do his medical and Dylan is getting all up close and personal with his prostate. It might just be all fun and games for Dylan, but Matt is experiencing things he only dreamt of. If only he could walk away, but he keeps going back to Dylan and his special brand of hazing.

Oh Matt you naïve fool you. Prostate check at 18! You should have seen it for it was he just wanted to feel you up.

Unnatural Means by T.C Mill
I am honestly going to admit that I don’t get this story. Isak is to cleanse Sain’s soul by having him confess to murder and witchcraft. It’s not going so well because Sain is stubborn and doesn’t feel he has anything to confess. This one is a bit of a mind fuck, and I was left thinking two things. Sain is a murderer and dabbles in the dark arts, or he’s a con man and has everyone fooled. He uses his ‘witchcraft’ to ensnare a man and then he gets rid of them when he wants to. Either which way, is this really a non-con story? Moreover, which of the characters is the one not consenting? As I said mind fuck!

Salting the Earth by Heidi Belleau & Violetta Vane
O_O that is all. Seriously, this one really freaked my freak. I am lost, puzzled, and loving all the faery pretty. All I am thinking is that Ronan was crazy, and he was the bait to begin a series of events that will bring us to The Druid Stone. I think this was a nice set-up, and will leave the reader with questions. Is TDS here yet *stomping foot impatiently*!
 

Overall, really enjoyed this anthology. So many different levels of writing and storytelling and all very unique. Another winner by SMP, and I look forward to whatever creative anthology they come up with next. I guess I should warn and say the whole book is dub-con/non-con but it didn’t feel like it for me. Though it really depends on the reader, which basically means I am hardcore. Loved It!

4 1/2 Pants Off

ARC Review: Hawaiian Gothic by Violetta Vane & Heidi Belleau

Hawaiian Gothic by Heidi Belleau & Violetta Vane
Loose-Id

Novel: 168pgs

4.5 Pants Off

Blurb:
Ori and Kalani were childhood friends too afraid to be lovers. Now in their darkest hour—Ori disgraced and Kalani a wandering spirit—they’ll fight the world and death itself for a second chance.

Gregorio “Ori” Reyes thought there was nothing left for him in Hawaii. A former Army Ranger and promising MMA fighter, his dishonorable discharge turned him into the family disgrace, and his childhood best friend Kalani never could love him back--not the way Ori needed to be loved--even before Kalani’s doctors declared him to be in an unrecoverable coma. Ori’s return to Hawaii seems fated to be a depressing reminder of every chance he never took... until Kalani himself impossibly welcomes him home.

Kalani’s body is bedridden, but his spirit is free to roam, and it turns out it’s not just Ori who had unspoken yearnings. Kalani is eager to prove that he can still savor all the pleasures of this world. Together, they remember all those years of surfing, wrestling, touching and aching but too afraid to act; now, they cross that final barrier and struggle against each other in an entirely different way.

Passionately but tenuously reunited, the pair must solve the mystery of Kalani’s unlucky life, sorting through dark family history and even journeying to the Hawaiian ghostworld. And the greatest terror of their journey is that Ori might have to put Kalani to rest.

Review:
I am going to honestly write, that I do not have the freaking words to describe this book. I am huge fan of horror and crazy, since my mom had me watching Twilight Zone at four. The book isn’t scary in a ‘there’s a boogeyman in the closet’. The fear lies within the risks one is willing to take for the person they love, because sometimes it can be bad things, it can be good things, and it can be great things.

With Hawaiian Gothic, there is greatness in this love story. Kind of fucking unbelievable, but made to come alive with the wonderful writing offered up by two authors everyone should be keeping their eyes on. They manage to do a little something new with every book they write, and I can never predict the outcome in their books.

Ori is a Filipino-American who has just been released from the army on a dishonourable discharge. He’s now back home in Hawaii, struggling with some shame and guilt. His visit is bittersweet because he closest friend of many years lies in the hospital in a coma. The best-friend he has loved for many years, the friend he still loves even now, the friend he is willing to give everything for.

Their story is told in a series of flashbacks, and you experience teen Ori and Kalani. There is an organized way to these flashbacks so the reader does not become confused. It’s through the flashbacks you see how important these men are to each other.

With Kalani now in the hospital, Ori and his family has to decide what to do. Others have already given up but Ori refuses to believe that his smiling surfer boy is gone. This is where the story takes a turn, when Ori starts seeing a very real Kalani. His body still remains in the hospital but his spirit wanders and can become corporeal for Ori. Trapped between the living world and the spirit world Kalani finally confesses his real feelings for Ori and the men come together in a passion so explosive I lost my pants numerous times.

Ori finally having Kalani, he now desperately refuses to let him go, and concludes that it has to be some kind of a curse that probably can be stopped. So he goes on a mission to save the man he loves. What he learns about Kalani’s past is sad, and what he has to do to secure Kalani’s future is dangerous. Ori must make his way to the Hawaiian spirit world, and bring his man back to land of the living.

I enjoyed reading this book so much! Hawaii came alive for me, and the characters became so extraordinary. I have always been in love with the paranormal/supernatural, and this book had it tenfold and I was so captivated. It really freaked my freak sometimes, but it’s a good thing when books can throw you a curve ball and then hit a home run.

This book is not traditional in the romance or the writing. So be aware that you will not be getting romance built on rainbows on sunshine, because without the supernatural trope. It’s a hard-hitting book battling real emotions and dealing with loss.

Love, love, and love the interracial love! Filipino-American/Hawaiian-American seriously no pants were invited in the reading of this. I am trying to think of when I read a Filipino in m/m??? I don’t think I have, and this book was a wonderful representation of them as someone with Filipino children, I approve this message.

The sex in this one is hot enough to burn all the hairs on your body. Like dirty, sexy, powerful wrestling, the desire to be on top was just beautiful. Ori and Kalani are very male, and I would pay good money to see them together. The ending of this book is so beautiful, love it to death, and just loved the whole story. If you are looking for a different read? Something that will remain on your mind days after reading it, then Hawaiian Gothic might be it for you.

4.5 Pants Off

Interview & Giveaway with Heidi Belleau and Violetta Vane

I am so excited to be interviewing Heidi and Violetta today! They are two very awesome ladies and talented writers, and they are here chatting it up with me. Give a warm welcome to the fantastic duo Heidi & Violetta.

Hi Heidi/Violetta welcome to Pants Off, super excited to have you guys here. 

Heidi: Super excited to be here! Can I take my pants off now?  

Tell us a bit about yourself, and how long you've been writing? 

Heidi: I’m a stay at home mom living in Northern Canada. I’m a history geek. I’ve been writing since I was a little girl. In fact, even before I could physically write, I was dictating stories to my father to write down for me. I don’t think this gives me a particular pedigree or anything like that, but yes, I have definitely spent a long time nurturing this... talent? Inclination? Fetish? Haha. 

Violetta: I was raised by wandering hippies who have since mostly settled down. I went to kindergarten in Japan but have spent most of my life in the United States. I’ve been writing essays formally and informally for many years, but was always too afraid to venture into fiction. A few years ago, I jumped in. 

Heidi: Turns out she had nothing to worry about, because she’s totally awesome. 

Was gay fiction something you always wanted to write? Or did you develop it as an interest over time? 

Heidi: I actually wrote stories about a pair of gay characters back in high school, so it must have started sometime around then! I mean, I’m bi myself, so I never really thought romance needed to be limited to couples consisting of one man and one woman. However, growing up where I did, I never realized that books about gay and bi people could actually sell and find an audience. It was very exciting to me to find M/M after forcing myself to write straight stuff just because I thought that was the only to get people to read my books. There’s this whole period of my wriitng where I am patently forcing myself not to let the LGBT subtext in my stories shine through. Pablo Picasso had his Blue Period, I had my.... nohomo period. It’s really quite hilarious because even my straight books were super duper gay.  

Violetta: The first gay fiction I ever read was The Naked Lunch by William Burroughs, when I was 14. I’ve always sought out stories (mostly in science fiction) that had treatments of sexuality and gender that didn’t conform to what I felt were constricting norms. And I listened to a lot of Bowie during my formative years. I mean a lot. Due to both study and recreation, I’ve developed a fair degree of knowledge of LGBTQ fiction, but I’m not claiming insider status. I look at m/m romance as a fascinating hybrid genre—many of the stories I want to tell fit very well inside it. 

I believe I've read all the books you both have written together and look forward to the others. Most (all) of your stories have a supernatural theme to it. Is the supernatural something you both believe in? 

Heidi: I do, yeah. I don’t subscribe to any one belief system, but I am definitely open to the possibility that there is more in this world than we can necessarily comprehend. I definitely still try to be critical, because there are many many people in this world who want to capitalize on and even exploit those beliefs. I have very little tolerance, just as an example, for phony psychics and the like that make a good living off of manipulating people’s grief.  

Violetta: I believe in the fantastic, in a literary sense. I don’t believe that causality is influenced by the supernatural. In terms of belief, I’m a Buddhist. 

Sex with a corporeal spirit/ghost. Seriously, whose idea was that? 

Heidi: ...I think that may have been me. We decided to write a book set in Hawaii and were looking at different Hawaiian stories, and the ghost stories in particular called to me. And I’ll admit, this isn’t my first time writing ghost sex. Uh. 

Violetta: An invisible man sleeping in your bed... who ya gonna call? Trick question, you get it on with him, write a story about it, and send it off to Loose Id. 

Heidi: I mean, I guess you could call someone, if you were freaky. I’d call Peter Venkman anytime. 

There is such wonderful Multiculturalism/interracial relationships in your books. Will this be something you both you and Violetta continue to write? Because I believe you guys are really setting the bar high for interracial relationships in gay romance/fiction. 

Violetta: Thanks! Yes, it’s something we’re both very committed to writing. We have written a few stories, I think, where all the characters are white, but even in those cases culture and ethnicity play a huge role in the story. More than anything, that’s what we focus on; people not just as isolated generic individuals but as members of families, communities, cultures, and how love and sexuality interacts with all of that. 

Sadly, the bar is kind of low at the present moment. There are some awesome writers and stories out there in IR/MC and I promote them as much as possible. But we don’t have as many writers and stories as we could. People look at it and they only see the risks and not the rewards. The situation is changing for the better, though. 

You have written the intense, sad, and the horror stuff. When will we be reading the fluff? Just good ole guy falls in love with an office worker ^_^ 

Heidi: My god, you know, writing fluff has never occurred to me? Which is crazy because I love rom-coms. I mean, I think I’ve watched The Proposal like eight times, and Bridget Jones’s Diary probably even more, and even The Holiday with Kate Winslet and Jack Black... I also like M/M romance with the same themes and scenarios, although I think it’s hard to get right. Yeah I think we are overdue for some fluff. I know we have been talking about the possibility of writing a contemporary with no paranormal aspects (specifically, a sequel/follow-on to our free short “Harm Reduction”) but given the subject matter I don’t think that has a high likelihood of being fluffy. Fluff... fluff. We may have to discuss this for an upcoming project. This may be all your fault. 

You have a new release out, and one is upcoming. Can you just share a little about them and future plans in writing? 

Heidi: Our current release, as you know, is Hawaiian Gothic, it’s a super angsty super romantic friends-to-lovers ghost story set in Hawaii. With wrestling sex. And there’s an epic quest, too, but we’re definitely proud of the wrestling sex. It’s out from Loose Id now, and will be available for purchase at third party retailers like Amazon and ARe on June 29th. 

Violetta: Our novel coming from Carina in August is a whopper. It’s about a young man named Sean O’Hara, who despite his name is not Irish but Cuban-American, and his journey back to Ireland to remove a curse that’s been destroying his sanity and his life. He meets Cormac Kelly there, a cynical modern-day druid who’s more John Constantine than Merlin, and it’s hate at first sight, and then it’s love, but the sidhe are coming after them... it’s a bit like Hawaiian Gothic in that we have a lot of elements and layers, but the plot is even more epic, and the length (>110k) really gives us the space to let the epicness unfold. And yes, it does have a happy ending, but like Hawaiian Gothic, the characters go through hell to get there... and about a thousand years of Irish history. 

We’ve left a little trail of breadcrumbs to The Druid Stone. “Cruce de Caminos” is a prequel tie-in. “Salting the Earth” from Like it or Not introduces a major secondary character from The Druid Stone, and Cormac makes a cameo, too. There are other stories, some free. None of them are romances, and “Salting the Earth” comes with big red flashing warning lights about nonconsensual sex, so we don’t expect that people read all of these (or even any of them) before The Druid Stone; but going back and forth might add to the reading experience. 

Hawaiian Gothic, how did the idea for the story come about? 

Heidi: Well, we wanted to write a novel length work. We wanted it to be a paranormal romance. We wanted to set it in Hawaii and base it around Native Hawaiian folklore. We wanted to have a Filipino main character. It all kind of came together after that! 

When am I going to get a BDSM book from you guys? I can feel it coming! 

Violetta: I don’t know! We’ve had BDSM elements in some books, like The Saturnalia Effect. And we have written a pure BDSM short story that takes place after The Druid Stone, but we haven’t decided how and when to publish it yet. One issue is that while I love reading BDSM, I don’t love BDSM plots. There are hardly any BDSM plots that can actually sustain my interest. 

Heidi: The whole “sex club” set-up of a lot of BDSM stories is a personal squick of mine, so while I love the power dynamics of BDSM, and also the actual nature of the acts from bondage to impact play to confinement, I’d rather write a story that cherry picks elements of the lifestyle and incorporate those into other stories versus BDSM being central to the narrative. Of course, the sex club thing isn’t the be-all and end-all of BDSM (and I’m sure many many practitioners have never stepped foot in such a club), but that, along with some serious asshole Doms, seems to be such a major part of the genre. Please please correct me if I’m wrong, I’d love some recs of good BDSM-centred books with plot and substance that hold my interest while keeping BDSM a star of the story. 

Is there ever an author clash, where you both want to go a different direction with a story? 

Heidi: Oh yes, definitely. I think our finished product is generally pretty smoothly integrated, but there have been times where we will fight each other tooth and nail over things. One chapter of The Druid Stone was a particular battle, I remember. Ultimately you just have to be professional. Sometimes that means stepping away when things get heated, or it might mean ceding control, or trying out something you’re not 100% on.  

Who has it better Top or Bottom (perhaps both)? 

Violetta: Bottom. Less work! 

Heidi: Uh, what she said? 

How do you feel about 3 way romance in books? Believable or Not? 

Heidi: I think in real life relationships can be healthy and fulfilling in all shapes and sizes. I dont’ disbelieve in the possibility or validity of actual 3 way romances. In fiction, though, I’m not too hot on them, personally. I wrote  an M/M/F triad in a secondary relationship for Hawaiian Gothic and love it and wouldn’t have that plotline go any other way, but I have a hard time wrapping my head around the dynamic, in general. Sexual/casual threesomes, bring ‘em on! Actual stable polyamorous relationships and triads? I just don’t think I could really do those justice, not on my own anyway. Violetta is definitely the expert in that arena.  

Violetta: I’m not an expert, just a fan, really! I love menage stories—mainly MMF. I even founded a whole review blog dedicated to them: More Than This. I find menage just as believable as a lot of M/M and M/F romance, and when it comes to science fiction settings, more believable. It’s true, these kinds of relationships happen very rarely in real life, but romance as a genre is a variable mixture of real life details and totally unrealistic tropes. I like approaching these stories as complicated relationship jigsaw puzzles, and watching characters figure out where they fit together and where they don’t fit together. Plus I’m really into bisexuality in fiction. 

Pants, is it better to write with them on or off? 

Heidi: Off. I am a fierce proponent of wearing as little clothes as is necessary in any given scenario. 

Violetta: On, but on fire. 

Thanks so much for being here today. If fans want to keep in touch how can they get in contact with you? 

Heidibelleau.com and Violettavane.com have all our social media links on the first page. We’re most active on Twitter at @heidibelleau and @violettavane.

~Giveaway~

Want to win an ebook copy of Hawaiian Gothic? 'You really need a copy of this'. 

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