Review: Pick Up the Pieces by Tinnean

Reviewed by Whuppsy
Pick up the Pieces (The Light In Your Eye #1) by Tinnean
Dreamspinner Press
Novel: 324pgs
4.5 Pants Off

Blurb:
Fifteen-year-old Theo Bascopolis longs for the man of his dreams. But his dreams are dashed when his conservative Greek father discovers Theo is gay and throws him out. Hopeless, he falls in with Fast Franky, a pimp who seduces Theo with the nickname “Sweetcheeks,” but abuses him and wants Theo to hustle. A bloody fight with Franky forces Sweetcheeks to run. Winding up in Washington, DC, he meets a group of rent boys who take care of each other. While he may not have the man of his dreams, Theo finally has a home and family of his own making. 

When the boys take in mysterious tenant Mark Vincent, he seems a solid protector, until one of Sweetcheeks’s boys suffers a savage beating in his name. Vincent visits the boy in the hospital and introduces his equally enigmatic trainee, William Matheson. The instant attraction blindsides Sweetcheeks. In spite of knowing love isn’t for rent boys, Sweetcheeks hopes Matheson sees beyond the body he’s offered to so many. But Matheson has secrets of his own, and both will have to tear down their walls to find enduring love.

Review
I have to say how excited I was to read this book!! I love the Spy vs. Spook series!! I loved Vincent and Quinn and how they interacted. I loved that the author added in the high priced rent boys as side characters. I loved seeing the boys find their own HEA’s. So, I was really excited to read about Sweetcheeks and Matheson’s relationship from their own views.

So, we start off at the very beginning. Sweetcheeks gets thrown out of his home at the tender age of 15 for being gay. Now, he’s from this small town in Florida and he’s so very lost. He meets up with this guy who promises to love and take care of him. He ends up being a rent boy for this guy who then sells him to a pimp who hooks the boys on drugs. He runs away and hits Washington, DC and ends up with these guys who are in the same business, but they look after each other. They become a family and help support each other.

You see how Sweetcheeks life gets better, even with being a rent boy, he’s got this family that he loves and supports each other. He doesn’t expect to find love being what he is, but he knows that it can happen. He and the boys start this really great enterprise and become more self-sufficient. Sweetcheeks is gets his education and uses it to help himself and his boys in the business. One night, one of the guys in the house gets hurt really badly and Sweetcheeks calls Vincent for help. Vincent shows up at the hospital with Matheson in tow. Sweetcheeks likes him on sight. Little does he know, that his future just walked in the door.

William Matheson works with Vincent and he’s very good at his job. The non-descript hair and clothes. He’s not sure that he’s gay. But he feels something for Sweets also. He’s more than what he lets on to Sweets. For if you’ve read the Spy v. Spook series you know that doing dangerous wet work for the government is what Vincent and Wills does. But he tells Sweets that he’s a computer trouble-shooter. He falls for Sweets knowing what he does/did for a living. It was sweet watching Wills fall for Sweets.

Now, I will say that it was so freaking adorable watching Sweets fall more in love with Wills. To see how even with his past, he’s not lost this sweet, loving guy who wants to be loved and love in return. Now, it’s hard to see how Sweets hard to reconcile his past and when he learns that his family would love to see him, it was heartbreaking to watching their reunion. I loved how Wills gets to him each and every time they got together. How inviting Sweets home to meet his family shows Sweets just how important he is to Wills.

There was a bit of sex in this story. Not what you’d think about a book regarding Rent Boys. It was just a bit and not explicit. I liked that about this story. It was so character driven that the sex was just a natural part of the story and it never overwhelmed.

I will say that I really enjoyed reading this book and it stated that the second part is coming out soon. I can’t wait. I want to see how Wills tells Sweets what he really does and how that affects their relationship. I enjoyed reading this book and truly can’t believe that I have to wait for the next part. It was at turns hard to read about such a young boy being hurt and brutalized and yet to see the man that he becomes, it was just amazing.

This is definitely a book worth reading and you’ll definitely reread this book. Sweet and loving and yet at times, it was truly heartbreaking. LOVED IT!!

4.5 Pants Off

Book Blast & Giveaway: Astrally Yours by Alex Carreras

Book Name: Astrally Yours

Author Name: Alex Carreras

Author Bio: Alex Carreras writes from Sarasota, Florida about sexy men in compromising positions while he dreams of living in a cold but still cozy village somewhere in the United Kingdom.

Author Links: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Alex-Carreras-Author/239750179416579

Cover Artist: Lea Barrymire

Publisher: Self-published

Blurb: 
Caeli Aferrum found himself in the Midwest unsure what to expect from the human race.

He was searching Earth for a partner he could call his own along with some of his brethren. After a few beers and a name change to, Kyle he found the curious creatures full of questions. They appeared less scary and a whole lot sexier, especially the one named Hank.

When Hank Cutter entered Rascals Bar the last thing he expected in his small town of North Fork, Kansas was to meet a man. There was only one gay man in town and that happened to be him. He finds himself faced with a startling truth: Kyle is actually a Ferrumis in search of a mate he intends to have for life on the spacecraft Fronza, a stolen Thorean ship manned by seven other aliens who are roaming the galaxy with no particular destination in mind. He knew love came in many different shapes and sizes, but did his have to have a smooth metallic-colored tail and a set of razor sharp fangs?

Can their love span species lines and quench the growing lust in Caeli in time to save him from his Needing? Or will Hank deny his growing feelings to stay safe and sound on good ol’ planet Earth?

---

Sales Links: 
Amazon 

Barnes and Noble

All Romance E-books

Amazon U.K

Giveaway


a Rafflecopter giveaway

And the Winners Are...

Pardon my tardiness, POR had a few winners awhile back and I'll give them their shout out now.

Debby (Forever Fearless by Jeff Erno)

&

H.B (With Pride by Megan Derr)

~Thanks to all who entered and be sure to stop by for some more awesome giveaways~

What's Happening This Week!

Omo, its been so long! I know there has been a serious amount of slacking here on Pants Off Reviews but I promise to change and will pick up the pace for reviews. Call it a series of laziness on my part and the lack of blogging feels as of late. Things will be picking up, and I hope ya'll haven't forgotten about us.


Some amazing things coming this week as well for in the future. I have a new segment that will be going live Friday of next week called "This Weeks Recs and Shit" where I'll be talking about my fave things (not just books). Also the one thing I been meaning to do for like two years and I swear to all that is holy I'm getting this thing done (secrecy).

Alright, no more rambling on and check what's causing a pants losing this week.

Reviews:
Straight Shooter by Heidi Belleau (DarienMoya)
Pick up the Pieces by Tinnean (Whuppsy)
Wood, Screws, and Nails by Piper Vaughn (Whuppsy)
The Forester II: Lost and Found by Blaine D.Arden (DarienMoya)
The Spirit by John Inman (Whuppsy)
Mirage by Tia Fielding (Whuppsy)
Daylight Again by SE Jakes (Whuppsy)

Guest Posts & Giveaways:
Book Blast: Astrally Yours by Alex Carreras
Spotlight, Review, and Giveaway: Daylight Again by SE Jakes

~Have A Great Week~

Guest Post & Giveaway: The Comeback Kid by Kimber Vale

Are there any bands or actors you loved years ago that were quiet for a while, but eventually made their way back into the spotlight?

I love when that happens, personally. Heck, that could be the appeal with some of those reality TV shows like Dancing with the Stars. It’s fun to see how people look a decade or so later, to hear what they did with their lives after that childhood acting thing imploded and they checked into rehab. Did they let themselves go? If they’re in one of those weight loss competition shows, odds are that time and fast food haven’t been kind to them, but it’s still exciting when they pull off a transformation and fight their way back from the brink of obscurity.

Maybe it’s reassuring to see that we aren’t the only ones under Father Time’s thumb. Of course, seeing some of my favorite stars from my youth, and noting how they’ve aged can be somewhat depressing, too. Still, I’d much rather the Jake Ryan’s of the world were getting silver fox roles instead of hiding out in the woods and whittling furniture.

But how cool is it when that favorite band comes out with an album after years of time off and lands a top forty song? How awesome was it when Mickey Rourke got the lead in The Wrestler? Yeah, he’ll never be 9 ½ Weeks Mickey again, but I’m still pulling for him. I still loved that movie and was glad to see him working. And then I was glad to watch 9 ½ Weeks and touch myself like the good old days. ;-)

Anyway, it warms my heart when my old favorites are out there proving that middle-aged folk can still hang with the young’uns—and maybe even teach them a thing or two. That’s how I feel about my main character, Gio, from Double Takes. Gio didn’t want to believe his days headlining were over, and neither did I. I had a lot of fun letting my underdog get another shot at the gold. And after everything I put them through, Gio and Lance both deserved their happily ever after.

-----------

Blurb:
 Ah, the life of a rock star. Everyone thinks it’s nothing but sex, drugs, and rock and roll.

Not for Giovanni Savale.

For the lead singer of Three Deaf Mice, a band that reached its pinnacle in the late nineties, it’s nothing but an ugly divorce with a custody battle, money trouble, and now the nightmare exposure of starring in a reality television show. When his producer decides to cash in on an infamous interview Gio did years ago, and give the self-confessed bisexual rocker an onscreen boyfriend, things really hit the fan. Gio is certain his sexual experimentation back in his drug-abusing days meant nothing — after all he’s been married for nine years, clean and sober for nearly as long, and he has a son. And Gio is not remotely attracted to Kyrie, the funny, flamboyant actor they choose for his love interest. Of course, Lance Garrett, the mysterious and sexy owner of the local antique shop, Double Takes, is a whole different story. The guy has Gio planning out a future he never imagined. With the threat of losing all custody of his ten-year-old son, ghosts from the past returning for revenge, and the cameras rolling, can Gio keep his head above water and his heart from getting broken?

Excerpt:

Lance’s hand on top of his stopped Gio from silencing the irritating voice.

Gio sat down heavily next to Lance, one hand still burdened by his dinner plate and the other sandwiched between Lance’s palm and the remote. He didn’t dare pull it away, and Lance apparently wanted to see the entire commercial because he kept Gio trapped there until it finished.

“What was that all about?” Lance’s warm fingers slid from Gio’s, leaving his hand cold.

“Ah, it’s dumb. The world’s most degrading way to make a paycheck.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure.” Lance stared at something past Gio’s shoulder.

“The producers took some stupid poll and found out the viewers want to see me…” Gio paused in search of the right word. What the hell did people want to see? “They wanna see me squirm. They want to see a supposedly bisexual man drowning in the same-sex dating pool. It’s all bullshit—just for ratings.”

“So, you’re not really dating that guy?”

“No! Well, yeah, I have to for the show. But not really. It’s just a publicity stunt, you know?”

“So, you aren’t bi, then?” Lance cocked his head and skewered Gio with those intense hazel eyes.

“Yeah! No! I mean … it’s not like I…” What the fuck was he even trying to say? You’ve screwed around with guys before, ass munch.

The confused squint of the eyes staring back at him—moss-green with spikes of brown radiating from his pupils—told Gio his answer didn’t exactly make sense to Lance, either.

“I always wondered if those rumors were true before you got married.” Lance made it sound like a question.

“Well, you know how it is … when you’re young, and you party too much. Sometimes you do shit you wouldn’t normally do if you weren’t fucked up, right?” Gio gave a weak laugh.

Lance’s face was introspective and finally he shook his head. “When I was young and I partied too much, I never ended up in bed with a woman, so no … I don’t know.”

Hold the fucking phone. Something skipped inside Gio’s chest. It was nauseating and exhilarating all at once. Like a rollercoaster when it crests the top of a hill. He knew he was about to drop, he craved the intoxicating free fall, but was scared shitless at the same time.

Lance placed his dinner on the coffee table and turned to Gio.

What is going on? How do I even respond to that?

“So…?” Gio began, but then Lance’s right hand wrapped around his neck and pulled him closer to those amazing eyes, his mouth closer to Lance’s flawless one.

Lips, soft yet firm and unbelievably full, pressed to Gio’s and his eyelids dropped like they were weighted. Fingers carded the hair at the back of his head and lured him to kiss back. Or maybe it was the faint spicy smell Gio now associated with Lance that made his lips pucker and nibble against the other guy’s delicious mouth. Gio detected a hint of lemon poppy seed dressing as he sucked a voluptuous bottom lip between his own.

Lance’s tongue darted out to lick Gio’s closed mouth, and Gio opened to suck in a surprised breath. Gio’s tongue had a will of its own. It touched Lance’s wet tip and they swirled together, exploring each other’s taste, marking new territory in the other’s domain.

A low rumble came from somewhere; Gio wasn’t sure if it was he or Lance who groaned. He wanted to grab the man sitting next to him, wanted to slide his hand up the inseam of his jeans and stroke his dick into dripping hardness. Gio’s own cock was filling, twitching against the constraints of his pants with each meeting of their tongues.

Oh my God, what the hell am I doing? Nothing about this kiss—hot slippery tongues meshing and soft bristles tickling his cheeks—nothing about it was like his memories of other men. Those were hazy and unreal and this was vibrant—electric. His conscience had long ago associated those fleeting, drugged sexual acts with perversion. He had swept them under the carpets of history along with his ancient addictions. But this kiss didn’t make him think of sinfulness and mistakes. It felt right, like nothing before ever had. It flooded his senses and his prick and had him aching for more, everything Lance had.

Gio pulled away from his thoughts and from Lance’s lips. His breath came in shallow gasps that exposed him as much as the bulge in his pants did. Lance slid his warm hand off Gio’s neck and took a shaky inhalation. Gio swallowed hard as he swiped his hair back with trembling fingers. His plate was still in the other hand, tilting precariously but fortunately not dumped all over the floor. He set it down on the table just as a cheer went up on the television.

The Red Sox had scored a home run. I only got to first base, but man I was close to dropping to my knees and knocking this one out of the park. What the fuck?

Lance took a long pull off his water. Gio watched him out of the corner of his eye while he pretended to be enraptured by Big Papi jogging the bases. He had no clue what he should do or say. I’m not really into guys didn’t seem at all right anymore. Lance made it easy for him.

“Hey, sorry about that. I didn’t mean to freak you out. Just wanted to give you something to think about and you can get back to me on it.” He gave a half smile that was sexy as hell.

Bio:
Kimber Vale writes romance of all stripes, from hot hetero stories to mouthwatering men falling in love (under the name K. Vale). Keep up with Kimber’s news and follow all her tour stops on her blog: http://www.kimbervale.me and friend/follow her on Facebook and Twitter @KimberVale. Come for the sex. Stay for the story. http://www.authorkimbervale.com



Find Double Takes:
On Amazon

At Liquid Silver Books

All Romance: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-doubletakes-1484498-149.html

Watch the Double Takes book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBF5EZ2Qcrk


Giveaway
 Kimber has a $25 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card (winner’s choice) up for grabs!

 a Rafflecopter giveaway